The New Ambassador
by Boltshok
Summary: In the southern continent of Alaba, there are several clans of centaur-Mecha living in the bush. Scouted out by Ultra Magnus, Raindance is brought from her wild life in the brush to one aboard a ship as an ambassador in training. Where will her studies lead her?
1. Chapter 1

In the early morning, a soft rumble rolls through the village. The ground shakes beneath me - I wake instantly, struggle to my hooves amid my pile of sleeping skins, and stumble out of my home into the bright sun of the savannah. Our village rocks violently with the Earth below us, thatched huts collapsing to my right and left. At the forefront of our village, my sires' hut caves in, a cloud of dust rising out from the roof and walls.

"Father!" I cry, racing to the still-shifting rubble.

Out of the dried mud, straw, and cobbled stone, the Chief of our settlement emerges from the rubble, gasping.

"Father!" I yelp, bending to help him up. "Oh, Father..."

He stands, wobbling, and clutches onto my arms. "Your mother," he rasps urgently. "Your mother!"

Other males press in around us, digging with their hooves and hands. With a cry, one of them steps back. Mother is unearthed, dead. My infant brother is held tight in her arms, but he is also still. Blue blood trickles from her mouth and nose. The warriors pull her free, lifting her so Father can hold her woman-body. Our heads bow as he cries against her.

...

Her funeral procession was in the evening; our women and I washed her body in sweet water, adorned her flowing tail with flowers, and painted the rites of passing-into-death on her sides. My father dressed my brother, washing his tiny form and painting him to match Mother. We nestle him in Mother's arms and carry her on a sling in the procession to the burial grounds: as Chief and his daughter, Father and I walk before the crowd gathered, stamping out any evil spirits that may challenge us.

We arrive safely, and the ground consumes Mother and Brother. It is a sad day, and only songs of grief are sung around the fire. We fast until morning.

I go to my bedding with a great heaviness in my spark. I did not weep at the procession, tears would not come then. I send away my handmaids and bed down. Lying on the fresh straw and familiar sleeping skins reminds me of Mother and I cry until the darkness takes me in sleep.

...

After the passing of Mother and Brother, the days blur together. Our village is repaired and begins to grow again, but the hole Mother and Brother made is still gaping and empty. My hunting partner and best friend, Flowing Water, visits me often, but even a fresh rabbit skin does not lighten my mood.

Days blend into weeks, weeks to lunar cycles. Many new moons pass before the Titans come to our village for the first time in my memory.

...

He is blue. Blue, and large, and two-legged. He walks into our village with an air about him... something is different, aside from his physical appearance. His words are strange. I do not understand him. Father knows the language of the Titans, so he speaks with the stranger. This Titan looks at us strangely, at our females nursing children and males guarding them nearby. The blue Titan speaks to Father, who beckons me over.

"This is she," he says. "You will go with him, to learn the language and the ways of the Titans... so we may connect our people in peace. He is a close friend of mine, and to the tribe. He wishes this-"

This angers me. "Peace?" I demand. "Where have these negotiations come from? Why was I not included? You want me to go speak of peace? We have peace! It was told that Titans brought the war to this land, they don't want peace! Think of Mother!"

"It is decided," he says firmly, eyes growing brighter with more emotion. "This Titan is named 'Ultra Magnus'." He speaks the name in their tongue.

" 'Ultra Magnus'," I repeat. "A demon's name."

"A Titan's name," Father corrects. "You are his to instruct, so swallow this decision silently. Gather your things, he leaves soon."

Looking from him to the Titan intruder I stamp my feet, turning and storming towards my hut, angry and mad at Father. We have lost Mother and Brother, now he just expects me to leave without agreement!

Gathering my sleeping skins, I wrap them in a large leaping-deer skin and make a parcel, tucking my other, smaller treasures inside. A carved peace of ivory from Flowing Water, a tail-comb from mother. A satchel of rabbit-skin gifts from Flowing Water. A small flask of mating-scent, something Mother had made for me as a coming-of-age gift. I tuck my bow inside the leaping-deer skin, along with a quiver of fifteen fletched arrows.

I pack my decorative skins and other items inside my hut into another skin. Standing, I look around my hut, and sigh. Is this the last time I would see it? I turn and exit, after pulling a snowcat pelt over my back. Mother always said it made my legs look strong...

The Titan stands in the middle of our village, hands clasped patiently in front of himself. Looking from the side, his midsection looks a bit rounded. Was he sick? We were all flat, except for a woman's chest. A pleasant smile graces his lips as he sees me. He says something, but it is in his language and I don't understand. Father comes to my side.

"He welcomes you," Father translates. "He would like you to follow him and begin your learning."

I rumble in my chest and stamp a hoof. "I do not like this."

My Father, who has always been warm and understanding, now looms over me. "I do not care," he growls, eyes bright. "You will learn his ways and apply them to your life. Go now."

I look up at him and slowly sink down. Ultra Magnus walks past me and turns to the dirt path out of our village. With Father staring me down, I follow him, effortlessly catching up to the Titan.

A short walk out of our village, he halts.

"Ultra Magnus," he says, sticking a hand out.

I stare at him. "Ultra... Magnus..." I repeat. He nods, then his hand drops to my own, taking it in a gentle grasp.

I study his arm. I expected it to be smooth and gentle as was his appearance, but as he grips my hand I see and feel thick muscle tied underneath his skin.

"Why are you holding my hand?" I ask, looking up at him.

He meets my gaze and starts to laugh. "I have learned the language of the People as well," he speaks, directly in my own tongue.

Dropping his hand, I step back and glare at him. "What are you?" I demand.

"Your people call us Titans," he says. "But we are more than that. We are not that different... your kind are related to us."

"Falsehood!" I snap, stamping my front feet. "We are not alike! You have brought famine and misfortune wherever you go, killing the Earth-Mother beneath your feet! We want to nurture and take care of the Great Mother!"

Ultra Magnus looks down at me with hurt eyes. "We have done wrong," he says slowly. "But the war is over. Peace is now, no more will your homes be destroyed, or your people killed."

"Then why have you come?" I demand.

"We seek peace. To unite our two peoples so we might look upon one another with favor and peaceable intentions... not harm."

I look up at him, then shake my head. "It does not matter," I sigh. "Father has decreed I go with you, whether I care for it or not. Let us go wherever you have planned. I do not care."

Ultra Magnus looks me over, then his eyes sadden. Nodding once, he turns and resumes walking. I watch him walk for a moment and then adjust my fur. Following after him, I watch my hooves stir up small clouds of dust.

He leads me on for quite a while, passing herds of many animals, and a running cat and her chirping young. When we exit the forest, and he stops. Coming to his side, I instantly shy back. One of their sky-fliers sits on the ground, much more massive than Ultra Magnus or myself.

"You are safe," he says. "Come, I will show you your living space."

Grumbling, I follow him into the flier. It smells like the Titans and foul things, and the farther we go the worse it becomes. Ultra Magnus leads me down a long hall silently before he finally stops before a door.

"Your quarters," he says, pushing the door open.

The room is bare, dim, and smells even stronger of Titan. A male stayed here before me. There is a faded blue stain on the floor, and a shelf in the far right corner. A slab lies in the middle of the room, taking up much of the space.

"It is unclean," I say. "This place smells of another male, it is not my place to enter unannounced."

"These are your quarters," he says. "They are yours now."

I turn to him, but his face is unreadable.

"So be it," I growl, entering the room. "What is this slab for?"

Ultra Magnus peeks into the room. "The... berth?"

I stride inside, putting a hand on the slab. It is slightly squishy, soft even. "This."

"You sleep on it," he says. "Your people do not use berths?"

"We sleep touching the Great Mother," I reply. "I wish this berth removed."

From behind Ultra Magnus a four-armed Titan appears, walking in and tipping the berth up on end before removing it. I watch it be pushed out, and Ultra Magnus looks me over.

"Get some rest," he says. "We will begin teaching tomorrow, or late this evening."

He reaches out and shuts the door - I am alone. I look at this empty room, and sigh. Unrolling my parcel, I spread my sleeping skins in the corner, leaving my treasures wrapped in the leaping-deer skin. I remove my snowcat pelt and let the fur run through my hands... it reminds me of Mother, and the day she gave it to me. Carefully I tuck it inside the leaping-deer pelt, then underneath a sleeping skin. Laying down on the pile of skins, I sigh and allow my mind to wander.

...

The world comes back into light as someone pounds on the door.

"Rain Dancer, there is someone here for you," Ultra Magnus calls. "Outside the ship."

I stand up slowly and stretch, then open the door. Ultra Magnus leads me to the outside, where Flowing Water beneath the sky-flier, holding two rabbit skins. He wears his lionskin pelt over hid back - still, the cat's pet touches the ground. It was always too big for him.

"Rain Dancer!" he cries, racing up to me, embracing me in a hug. "I was out of the village when you left, your father told me you were gone!"

"He has sent me away," I mumble, pushing into Flowing Water's familiar chest. His arms encircle me.

"For what reason?" he asks, rubbing my shoulders gently.

"The Titan called it something else, but they... they want me to be a peacekeeper. 'Unite our people', he told me."

"Oh..." Flowing Water murmurs. "I brought you two rabbit skins... I made hand covers so you won't get cold if you're going somewhere else."

He presses the soft, downy fur mittens into my hands, and I slip them on. The outer leather is tender and smooth, the fur inside very warm.

"They are beautiful," I whisper, looking up at him.

He gives me a kind smile and pulls me in again. "I'll wait for you," he whispers, arms tightening.

Behind us, the 'ship' begins to hum.

"We are leaving," Ultra Magnus calls from the entrance.

Flowing Water pulls back, looking down into my eyes. "Be safe," he whispers, leaning in and hesitantly kissing me. This surprises me. A... kiss? His lips are warm and soft, and before I know it the kiss is finished, Flowing Water stepping back.

His eyes burn, watching me, and he backs up as Ultra Magnus descends from the entrance to the ship to put a hand on my arm, tugging me away. I sadly follow, turning to look at Flowing Water as I am forced up the ramp. He had taken cover in the trees, and watches closely as I am dragged up the ramp. The ramp comes up and slides shut, and everything is dim and quiet again.

"I apologize for the roughness," Ultra Magnus says, stepping away. "You did not heed the call to return to the ship."

"I did not want to return to the ship!" I cry, lashing out and pushing him back. "I want to go home!"

Turning, I race down the hall, searching for my room. Finding it, I throw open the door and dash inside, slamming it hard. Turning the lock, I go to my bedding and flop down, pulling off the rabbit-fur gloves to breathe in their scent. They smell like Flowing Water and that is a great comfort. Drawing my sleeping skins up I will myself to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

I wake gently, and it takes a few moments for me to realize I am no longer in the village. The ship does not hum, like it was when we moved. Stretching, I pick myself up and rearrange the skins. I stretch again, then walk to the door and turn the lock - opening it, I jump back as I see a mech standing patiently outside. He holds a small device, from which sound flows.

"Rain Dancer," Ultra Magnus speaks. "Our lessons will begin as soon as you wake - please, follow this guard and he will bring you to me to start."

I look up at the mech and he smiles kindly. He offers his hand to me and I take it gingerly. Walking down the hall for quite some time, the mech brings me into a warm, almost cozy room. Ultra Magnus sits in a large chair next to an equally large fireplace, a strange animal laying at his side. He says something to the guard, who releases my hand and leaves.

"You look well rested," Ultra Magnus says, addressing me now. "Please, come in and sit down. I have food for you; there is much to do."

I cross the floor and fold my legs in front of him, lying down.

"I have some energon for you," he says, picking up a cube of blue liquid from beside the chair.

"Ener-jon?" I ask.

"It is the main staple Mecha consume," he says. "We do not carry animal proteins on board to eat - one energon cube will last the morning and most of the afternoon."

He passes the cube to me. "There's a little clip on top that you pull up, and the top will open. Then you drink out of it."

I stare at the container, and clumsily my fingers open the cube. A glowing blue drink is inside, and hesitantly I take a drink. The liquid tastes thick and warm, like milk. When it hits my gut I drink faster. I was hungry, and the fluid felt warm within me. Ultra Magnus smiles kindly at me as I set the empty cube aside. "Better?"

I nod. "Yes, very much so."

"Now," he says, "May I see your wrist?"

Puzzled, I hold out my right arm. With gentle fingers he takes it, rubbing the underside. I watch in curiosity as he works... then he pulls open the skin to reveal a little cavity. A dull itching crawls across my skin. Shrieking, I tug my wrist away.

"What have you done?" I cry, looking at my wrist. The cavity glows faintly - what has he done?

"It is all right," Ultra Magnus says slowly, holding his hand out. "I am not going to hurt you."

"You... you have opened me," I snarl.

"I open too," he says, holding out his arm for me to see. A cavity is there, too.

"This is how I am going to teach you," he says. "You have to trust that I don't want to hurt you. I know all of this is very sudden, but you need to be educated and caught up to the outside world."

I glare at him. " 'Outside world'?"

He nods, putting his hand farther out. "Let me teach you, and your eyes will be opened."

Should I do this?

What if he hurts me?

Questions flash through my mind. "You... won't hurt me?"

"No," Ultra Magnus says. "I will not."

With careful shuffles of my legs, I come closer and put my hand in his.

"Now, I'm going to pinch you," he says, pulling my wrist closer. "And you'll hear my voice in your mind."

"Like... the eternal touch?" I ask. "Where... two sparks..."

"Similar, but it isn't permanent," Ultra Magnus says, voice reassuring.

"Okay..."

"Trust me," he says, looking into my eyes.

They hold truth and knowledge, and after a few moments I sigh and nod slowly. Watching closely, I observe him bringing his wrist to meet mine. My skin pinches and suddenly my mind is overwhelmed, images and feelings rushing through me. Sharp hurt, pain, the cracking of a spark. Ultra Magnus cries out softly, hand tightening on my arm.

Then - everything quiets.

"I apologize," rumbles Ultra Magnus's voice in my mind. "The first connection is always the strongest."

"What do you want?" I ask. My voice sounds very faint.

"I am going to teach you our language," he says. "Take a deep breath."

Slowly, I breathe in. As I breathe out, my mind begins to feel full. When I run out of breath, the feeling goes away.

"I'm going to disconnect from you now," Ultra Magnus says. "Don't be afraid, I'm right here."

The comforting touch of him is suddenly ripped away and my vision clears, leaving me gasping. I feel a whimper slip out, and his arms encircle me.

"Shh... I'm still here... you're not alone..."

Suddenly, I realize that he is speaking in their language, the Titan language.

"Shh..." he murmurs, and slowly pulls back.

"What did you do?" I ask.

Wait.

WAIT.

Did... I just speak in their language?

"I downloaded the English language, along with the rest of the vocal dialects I know into your cerebral cortex - you should be able to understand hundreds of languages now, and be able to respond in them.

I blink. "Devilry," I whisper.

"No," he says firmly. "Technology."

I shudder and press against him. The warmth goes from me until I feel him stroking my helm. "Now that we've been leveled out in speaking terms," he says, "I think you're ready to meet the crew."

"Crew?" I ask.

"We live on board of a small space-going ship," Ultra Magnus says. "We have one medic, two pilots, two guards and one mechanic, besides you, my aide, Watchman, who you met when you first arrived - he is the mech with four arms - and myself."

I nod a little. "Okay..."

"Come, then," Ultra Magnus says. "We will meet on the bridge... and Rain Dancer, it is customary to have a one-word, one-part name. May we compound your name into 'Raindance'?"

Raindance... Raindance... or Rain Dancer?

"Raindance... would be okay," I murmur.

He nods, and slowly stands. "Then let us go," he says.

He opens the door and steps into the hall. I follow wordlessly, and he leads me down the hall into and to a ramp. After walking up it, the ramp widens into an open room, where two MECHS sit in chairs, hands pressed to a SCREEN in front of them. Strangely, even though I'm seeing all these new things, I know their names.

"This is Starkstorm and Quicksight," Ultra Magnus says, touching the mech on the right, then the mech on the left. "They are our pilots, they fly the ship. Mechs, this is Raindance, the new Ambassador."

They turn in their seats to look up at me. "Heya, Raindance," chirps 'Starkstorm'. "It's nice to meet you."

'Quicksight' smiles and looks up at me. "Pleasant to have you aboard," he greets.

"Get back to the helm, you two," Ultra Magnus instructs. "Keep going for Seashells - we'll refuel there."

"Yes, Sir," they say in unison, swiveling back around in their chairs.

Ultra Magnus turns for another door, and leads me out.

"You'd think those two were bonded or twins or something," Ultra Magnus says offhand, walking down the corridor. "They even come from different plates on Cybertron- met each other in the Academy's Aerial Training."

"Cybertron?" I ask.

"Our homeworld," Ultra Magnus responds sadly. "What you refer to as the 'Mother'."

I nod, the name jolting me to remember back when Mother was killed, then to back when I was very young. Father says the Titans came and went through our village, taking many of our warriors. Mother hid me in our shared home.

We come to another ramp, this one leading down, and Ultra Magnus walks to a new door, which slides open before us.

"This is our medical bay," he says. "Our medic, Freelance, is in here somewhere..."

"Here, Sir. I was in the back. Is this our new Ambassador?"

"Fresh from the Neytek tribe," Ultra Magnus says. "This is Raindance."

"Hello," I squeak. What am I supposed to say?

"Hello yourself," Freelance responds, walking from a darkened hallway, wiping his hands on a rag. "It is good to have you aboard, we've needed an Alaban ambassador for a long time... especially from the Neytek, they are a crucial people to our cause."

"Hush," Ultra Magnus reprimands. "There will be time for this later... we are just warming up, this is just an introduction to the crew."

"Alright... alright..." Freelance says, putting his hands up. "But she needs to be taught, Magnus."

"And she will be," Ultra Magnus replies curtly. "But not today, not this soon."

Freelance nods, silenced. We stand for a few awkward moments, before he looks up at Ultra Magnus.

"This is a futile expedition, Sir," he says. "These people we are searching for will not become our mercenaries, even-"

"Enough," Ultra Magnus growls. "You are misinformed... I have no time for this banter, Freelance. Raindance, to me."

I look up at him, and he starts for the hallway. Looking back at Freelance, he gives me a small SALUTE. I hear Ultra Magnus call my name again, and I start for the door, following him quietly.

"He tries my patience," Ultra Magnus grouses roughly, after the door had slid shut.

"He sounds like a well-taught advisor," I respond. "Father kept three advisors; a warrior, a hunter and forager, and a female."

"Our system is different," Ultra Magnus rumbles. "I do not rely upon many outside sources for my decision-making."

I think on this. Father always said more voices gave more wisdom and helped a leader to make good choices.

"I know you're thinking about your village," Ultra Magnus says, turning to face me. "But this is different than what you know."

"How?" I ask. "Father is Chief over our village... are you not a chief?"

"How many people are in your village?" Ultra Magnus asks.

"Well..."

I think. Father, myself... Flowing Water and his sires... perhaps five-tens? We had twenty-two living huts, and the most that shared a hut was the new-sired twins and their sires.

"Fif... fifty?" I say, looking up at him. "Perhaps more or less."

"That makes an advisor for nearly every sixteen people," Ultra Magnus says. "If I had an advisor for every sixteen people, I would have no time to hear them all. I am an Admiral in the Council and a Commander in the field. Immediate actions should be taken by myself, without consulting constantly with advisors."

"How many people do you guide?" I ask, confused. There is more than this vessel? In his grouping?

"I command any Mecha under my rank," he responds. "As well as a few humans."

"Hoo-mans?" I ask. "What are these?"

"Humans are creatures that walk on two legs like Mecha, but they are made of flesh."

...flesh? Have we eaten them?

"...there are very small groups on Alaba," Ultra Magnus says. "You may not have seen them."

I think. My head tells me "Alaba" is my homeland. Humans...? I cannot recall seeing any.

"I have never," I respond slowly.

"Well, you will, then," Ultra Magnus says. "We're stopping by Rocky Slopes after we fuel up, then we are moving on to the plains so you can be broken to ride."

Ride? RIDE? I am no animal!

I freeze mid step, setting my hoof down on the floor sharply.

"Ride? You want me to be RIDDEN?" I rear up, angry. "I am no ANIMAL! I have watched Titans riding upon our tribe friends, and I have SEEN what you do!"

Looking down, I realize my anger has carried me nearly to a striking position before him. Strangely, Ultra Magnus had not moved, but a hand rests on his abdomen.

"Do not strike me," he commands. "Stand down, and act civilized. I am your commanding officer first, and then your friend."

I look down at him, then back up, slowly touching the floor again. Ultra Magnus regards me with a careful eye.

"You are my asset now," he says. "You are no longer you or your tribe. You are an Autobot asset, and you will help me maintain peace. Do you understand?"

I look up at him, into his eyes, and see just how he thinks of me. A person. Just another body among those he has no time to listen to.

"Yes," I grit out. "I understand perfectly."

He nods. "Let us resume your introductions."

He turns, continuing down the hall as if nothing had happened. I follow sullenly after him, my mind stirring like a boiling cauldron. He leads me back down the ramp, then another, and on.

"We are moving towards the engine room and fuel areas," Ultra Magnus murmurs. "Do not touch anything."

Above us, pipes sprout from the ceiling, tracing their way on. The hall ends with a door, which Ultra Magnus opens, ushering me inside. The room is damp, dim, and slightly dank, and it stinks of some chemical. The floor has standing water on it.

"Fireside," Ultra Magnus calls.

"In da back," comes a gruff reply. "Be careful, da floor is wet."

"I can see that," Ultra Magnus responds. "Why?"

As we walk around a large piece of machinery, the mech comes into view. Bare chested, thick muscle makes up his chest and midsection. Clearly, he is a male who is well-trained and works hard. The damp skin disappears into the 'clothing' of the Titans, in a combination of scarlet and white, with scarlet being the dominant. His eyes are of deep cyan, and regard me thoughtfully.

"This is our new Ambassador, Raindance," Ultra Magnus rumbles.

"Hello," I grit out, still bubbling from the argument. Something about this mech, though, calms me.

"Hello," Fireside rumbles, voice sweet and gentle now. "It is pleasant to see a new face aboard this ship."

"Fireside is our chief mechanic," Ultra Magnus adds.

"Yer only mechanic," Fireside laughs. "But ya wouldn't have meh any other way."

Ultra Magnus sighs. "You know the engines better than the last mech, that is for sure," he says. "Anyways, come along, Raindance. There are two more mechs for you to meet."

Looking up at Fireside, suddenly I wish I didn't have to go. Ultra Magnus turns and steps out, sloshing through the slight amount of water to reach the hall. Fireside crosses the short space and gives me a gentle smile putting a hand out to me. "We'll meet later," he says. "There will be plenty of time ta talk."

I touch his hand, which is strong and wet, but gentle. "Okay," I whisper, turning to exit.

Fireside shuts the door as I return to Ultra Magnus, and everything is quiet. Ultra Magnus leads me back the way we came, past the medbay to another, larger, square room.

Two mechs appear to be fighting in the center of the room, with two wooden staves.

"Mechs, stand down," Ultra Magnus commands.

They pull back, staves going to their left hands, and they snap up a crisp salute. "SIR!" they belt in unison.

"At ease," Ultra Magnus instructs. "Mechs, meet Raindance. She will be our new Alaban Ambassador. Raindance, this is Neonkeel and Whiphide."

I look at Neonkeel first, then Whiphide. Neonkeel is a very, very bright metallic blue, with little flecks of violet, red, and yellow here and there. He gives me a little wave with a brilliant, perfect smile. His eyes are ELECTRIC blue, and watch me closely. Looking at Whiphide, I notice that his quite a bit larger, both tall and wide. His ARMOR is a dark brown, nearly a CHOCOLATE color, with NEON green stripes along his shoulders and down his chest. Whiphide's eyes are gentle, and they appear very expressive. He smiles a little, seeming quite shy.

"These two are our new guards," Ultra Magnus says. "Just picked them up afresh from an outpost. They are from an outer colony which was not touched much by the war."

"Oh," I mumble. "Uh... hi."

"Hi there," Neonkeel says, grin widening. "I know you're going to stop by the gym here and spar with us."

"Uh..."

"Come along," Ultra Magnus interrupts. "Guards, as you were."

He turns, making sure I have exited before he follows. Shutting the door, he breathes out sharply, putting a hand on his midsection. Slumping against the wall, he takes a deep breath.

"Ultra Magnus?" I ask, concerned. I go to his side, unsure of what to do.

"Take me back to the fireplace," he whispers, face twisting in pain.

Nodding a little, I take one of his arms and thread it over my shoulders, walking beside him the short distance to the room containing the fireplace. Inside, the four-armed mec- Watchman, I remind myself - waits near the fireplace, sitting in a smaller chair. He stands as Ultra Magnus stumbles inside, quickly coming to my side and helping me guide him into the large chair near the fire.

Ultra Magnus slumps into the chair, jaw tightening. "Get her... out..."

Watchman looks up at me, standing and putting his arms out. "Raindance, please return to your room," he says. "Everything is under control, you can leave."

I look at Ultra Magnus, who seems to be in pain. "But..."

"Please," Watchman says.

Looking at Ultra Magnus, who groans loudly, I step back, tripping outside the doorway to bumble back into the opposite wall. The door shuts and I hear the lock click.

"...Ultra Magnus?" I whisper. The only sound inside is a soft whining, then a hitching cry.

What should I do? In my introductions, didn't I meet a... a healer?...Freelance! That's right!

Wheeling around, I allow my hooves to carry me as quickly as they could down the hall, towards the 'medical bay'. The floor clatters hollowly beneath my hooves, and as I arrive at the medbay door and attempt to slow, my feet give and I slide down the corridor a ways, finally coming to an unsteady halt.

Carefully picking my way back to the medbay and the door slides open in front of me, I look for Freelance.

"Freelance!" I squeak, still a bit shy. He emerges from the hall quickly, holding a towel.

"Sweet Primus, Raindance," he says, setting the rag down. "You've made quite a ruckus... what's wrong?"

"Ultra... Ultra Magnus," I tell him. "He's hurting, and Watchman said everything was okay but he sounded like he was in so much pain-"

"Alright," Freelance says, nodding slowly. "Calm down... just take a breath. How was your tour?"

His second question catches me off guard. "My... tour?"

"Yeah, of the ship," he says, rummaging in a drawer. He pulls out a white box with a red cross on the front.

"It was... short," I squeak. "Please, you must hurry!"

Freelance nods. "It is alright," he says. "Did you meet anyone you like?"

My mind instantly goes to Fireside, and I nod. "Yes... Fireside, the... the 'mechanic'."

Freelance smiles, putting a jar in his box. "Oh yes, he is enjoyable company... go back to your room, Raindance, I'm going right now. Do you want me to come speak with you once I'm finished with Magnus?"

Vigorously I nod. "Go, now!" I cry, and he passes me, a hand brushing my flank.

I watch him disappear into the hall, the sliding door shutting. I am alone in the medbay for a few moments, before I turn and exit as well, seeking out my room. Stepping into my sleeping quarters, I shut the door and sigh, going to my pile of sleeping skins. Pulling my bow out of the leaping-deer skin, I nestle it beside the wall, along with my quiver of arrows. I rearrange my sleeping skins and lie down, seeing my rabbit skin gloves from Flowing Water. My mind begins to wander as I breathe in their familiar scent.

Flowing Water... I can picture him in my mind, his smile, his laugh... his kiss. What did it mean? He always had chased after the... the other females. Did he like me? Did he like me like... that? He was my best friend, I never thought of him as a suitor...

My stomach turns. Did he have feelings for me? Suddenly, the only place I want to be is home... home, with Father, and figuring things out with Flowing Water...

"I will wait for you..." I can hear him speaking in my mind.

My thoughts are shoved away as someone knocks on my door. Scrambling up, I throw a skin over my bow and hurriedly open the door. Fireside stands outside, holding two cubes of energon.

"Hi," he says, giving me a gentle smile. "I thought you might be hungry..."

My stomach turns again, reminding me of the upset inside of me. "I'm okay," I mumble, looking away.

The cubes disappear from his hands, and he gently tips my chin up. "Hey now..." he murmurs, looking down into my eyes, the only emotion in his a deep kindness. "I know you're thinking about home... I'm sorry you were taken so roughly, but it'll turn out okay. I promise," he says, smiling down at me. "May I come in?"

I study his eyes, looking deep into them, but the kindness is unchanging. Slowly, I nod. His hand pulls back and he crosses the slight threshold into my room.

"These quarters haven't been cleaned," he says, spotting the blue stain on the floor. "Would you like me to clean it up?"

I look at him. "You... it's okay..."

"Are you sure? It won't take me long," he says.

"Well..."

"Alright then," he laughs. A rag and bottle appear in his hands and he kneels down, wetting the rag and beginning to scrub on the floor. It takes a few minutes to lift the stain from the floor, and he sits back. Now, that spot of the metal paneling is shiny and silver, the rest a flat, dull gray.

"Hmm," he says. "Just a minute, let me go grab a mop."

Standing, he exits and walks down the hall. I stare at the clean spot on the floor, and wait. He is gone for quite a few minutes, and I begin to wonder if Fireside will return. Just as the consideration for his non-return crosses my mind, he comes back, carrying a bucket, and what is presumably a mop. He also holds a bundle of rags.

"Sorry that took so long," he says, setting the bucket down. "It took a few minutes to prepare the water."

He dunks the mop into the bucket. "How about you pick up your things and set them out in the hall, and I'll wash the floor... you can wash out those shelves over there."

I look across the room and notice a set of shelves I had overlooked when the room was given to me.

"Okay," I murmur, going quickly and scooping up my things, depositing them out in the hall. Returning to Fireside, he gives me a rag and a bottle of something.

"Wet the rag and wipe it down," he says. I nod, and go to the shelves.

Some sort of clear wall covers the front, and I tug on a visible latch, which opens the shelf up. Wetting the rag, I start to clean.

"I know you're from the Neytek tribe..." he prompts. "Have you ever seen any Mecha before us?"

I shake my head. "No," I respond quietly. "Not before today... have you ever seen a horse-being?"

"Nope," he says, water sloshing. "Although, we call those Mecha with frames shaped like yours 'centaurs'."

"Centaur," I repeat softly, tasting the word. "Huh."

We both fall silent, working quietly. Finally, I muster up the courage to ask, "What is this clear wall?"

Fireside looks over. "The glass? On front of the shelves?"

I nod.

"Oh! That's glass... it's like a wall, but it can break easier. That shelf is welded to the wall, and that glass is used to keep everything inside if the ship loses stability."

I nod a little, looking at it. "Strange..."

We quiet again, and as he works, Fireside starts to hum. After working across the floor, he has me step aside so he can was the floor in front of the shelf. He scrubs along the wall, then dunks the mop into the bucket.

"Look at that floor..." he murmurs.

Turning from the shelf, I stare in awe at the floor. "Fireside," I whisper. "It's perfect..."

The floor is the same bright silver as the spot, and the scent of the male who stayed here before me is gone.

"Good," Fireside says, smiling. "Now... why don't you go get your things, and rearrange your room?"

I nod eagerly, trotting out into the hall, grabbing my pile of skins. Bringing them back in, I accidentally drop the skin holding my decorations, and it opens, skins and objects falling out. I step over them carefully, laying my skins down by the wall. When I turn back around, I see Fireside picking up one of the decorative skins, one that belongs to a tree-cat.

"What is this for?" he asks, inspecting the fur closely.

"It is for... for decoration," I tell him, grabbing up the others. "It's nothing, really-"

"Would you like to put them up?" he asks, looking up at me.

"Uh..." I stammer. "I... yes, please..."

He nods and smiles. "Alright! I have some hooks here, in subspace..."

His left hand disappears, and reappears with a box of something and a hammer. "Now, where do you want this one..."

There are five skins in all: a tree-cat, a striped horse, a male leaping-deer, a shadowcat, and a young flying demon. Tenderly, Fireside taps the hooks into the wall, hooking the skins at the corners where I had pierced holes for hanging them. Finally, they are all hung up, and my room looks nearly like my hut did.

Fireside helps me hang up my bow and quiver next to my sleeping skin pile, and he nods once everything is hung up. Opening the leaping-deer skin that was in with my sleeping skins, I tuck my volume of medicinal teachings into the shelf, along with the ivory carving from Flowing Water and flask and tail comb from Mother.

"The carving is very beautiful," Fireside says, looking into the shelves at it.

"Thank you," I whisper. "My... my best friend made it for me."

He smiles, brushing the glass surface of the shelves with his fingertips, and he turns, putting a hand out to me. "It'll be okay," he says. "Once you have been trained, you can go back and forth to Alaba whenever you want."

I look up at him and take his hand silently. His thumb rubs over the back of my hand gently, and he sighs, pulling me into a warm hug. Taken aback at first, I quickly press into it, the warmth welcoming and calming.

"We'll land tomorrow, and you can see a new world," he murmurs, rubbing my back. "It will be exciting, I promise."

After quite a while, I pull back, feeling a bit melancholy. Fireside smiles down at me, reaching back into his 'subspace', pulling out the two cubes of energon. "Here," he says. "Keep them... you might have the midnight munchies."

I look at the glowing cubes, and accept them quietly. "Thank you," I mumble.

"I should alert you that you have slept most of the day away," Fireside rumbles. "It's nearly seven o'clock in the evening, so I would turn in now. If Magnus doesn't me to it, I'll come up and wake you, if you like."

"Okay," I whisper. "Thanks."

He steps back, going to the door. "Sleep well, Raindance. I'll see you tomorrow."

I watch him go into the hall, giving me a kind smile before he shuts the door. I look at the floor, so clean and shiny now, and sigh. I sink into my sleeping skins, suddenly weary. I pull one over my back and curl into them, preparing to sleep. Softly, someone knocks on my door, again.

"Raindance? It's Freelance, I'm just here for a quick moment," he calls from the other side of the door. "May I come in?"

"Yes," I call softly, sitting up, rearranging my skins a little more neatly.

The door opens, and Freelance enters, still holding his white box. "I am here to let you know about Ultra Magnus," he says. "He is fine... this just happens sometimes. I'll let him explain to you everything else, but I came to tell you that he is alright, and sleeping peacefully."

I nod firmly. "Good," I declare. "He was hurting, and you have stopped that."

He smiles and reaches out, taking ahold of the doorknob. "I'll let you sleep," he murmurs. "Goodnight..."

He turns off the light, closes the door, and is gone. I hear his footsteps leading away from my room, and I sigh. Lying back down, I pull my skins around my shoulders, and let my mind drift.


	3. Chapter 3

Above us, pipes sprout from the ceiling, tracing their way on. The hall ends with a door, which Ultra Magnus opens, ushering me inside. The room is damp, dim, and slightly dank, and it stinks of some chemical. The floor has standing water on it.

"Fireside," Ultra Magnus calls.

"In da back," comes a gruff reply. "Be careful, the floor is wet."

"I can see that," Ultra Magnus responds. "Why?"

As we walk around a large piece of machinery, the mech comes into view. Bare chested, thick muscle makes up his chest and midsection. Clearly, he is a male who is well-trained and works hard. The damp skin disappears into the 'clothing' of the Titans, in a combination of scarlet and white, with scarlet being the dominant. His eyes are of deep cyan, and regard me thoughtfully.

"This is our new Ambassador, Raindance," Ultra Magnus rumbles.

"Hello," I grit out, still bubbling from the argument. Something about this mech, though, calms me.

"Hello," Fireside rumbles, voice sweet and gentle now. "It is pleasant to see a new face aboard this ship."

"Fireside is our chief mechanic," Ultra Magnus adds.

"Yer only mechanic," Fireside laughs. "But ya wouldn't have meh any other way."

Ultra Magnus sighs. "You know the engines better than the last mech, that is for sure," he says. "Anyways, come along, Raindance. There are two more mechs for you to meet."

Looking up at Fireside, suddenly I wish I didn't have to go. Ultra Magnus turns and steps out, sloshing through the slight amount of water to reach the hall. Fireside crosses the short space and gives me a gentle smile putting a hand out to me. "We'll meet later," he says. "There will be plenty of time ta talk."

I touch his hand, which is strong and wet, but gentle. "Okay," I whisper, turning to exit.

Fireside shuts the door as I return to Ultra Magnus, and everything is quiet. Ultra Magnus leads me back the way we came, past the medbay to another, larger, square room.

Two mechs appear to be fighting in the center of the room, with two wooden staves.

"Mechs, stand down," Ultra Magnus commands.

They pull back, staves going to their left hands, and they snap up a crisp salute. "SIR!" they belt in unison.

"At ease," Ultra Magnus instructs. "Mechs, meet Raindance. She will be our new Alaban Ambassador. Raindance, this is Neonkeel and Whiphide."

I look at Neonkeel first, then Whiphide. Neonkeel is a very, very bright metallic blue, with little flecks of violet, red, and yellow here and there. He gives me a little wave with a brilliant, perfect smile. His eyes are ELECTRIC blue, and watch me closely. Looking at Whiphide, I notice that his quite a bit larger, both tall and wide. His ARMOR is a dark brown, nearly a CHOCOLATE color, with NEON green stripes along his shoulders and down his chest. Whiphide's eyes are gentle, and they appear very expressive. He smiles a little, seeming quite shy.

"These two are our new guards," Ultra Magnus says. "Just picked them up afresh from an outpost. They are from an outer colony which was not touched much by the war."

"Oh," I mumble. "Uh... hi."

"Hi there," Neonkeel says, grin widening. "I know you're going to stop by the gym here and spar with us."

"Uh..."

"Come along," Ultra Magnus interrupts. "Guards, as you were."

He turns, making sure I have exited before he follows. Shutting the door, he breathes out sharply, putting a hand on his midsection. Slumping against the wall, he takes a deep breath.

"Ultra Magnus?" I ask, concerned. I go to his side, unsure of what to do.

"Take me back to the fireplace," he whispers, face twisting in pain.

Nodding a little, I take one of his arms and thread it over my shoulders, walking beside him the short distance to the room containing the fireplace. Inside, the four-armed mec- Watchman, I remind myself - waits near the fireplace, sitting in a smaller chair. He stands as Ultra Magnus stumbles inside, quickly coming to my side and helping me guide him into the large chair near the fire.

Ultra Magnus slumps into the chair, jaw tightening. "Get her... out..."

Watchman looks up at me, standing and putting his arms out. "Raindance, please return to your room," he says. "Everything is under control, you can leave."

I look at Ultra Magnus, who seems to be in pain. "But..."

"Please," Watchman says.

Looking at Ultra Magnus, who groans loudly, I step back, tripping outside the doorway to bumble back into the opposite wall. The door shuts and I hear the lock click.

"...Ultra Magnus?" I whisper. The only sound inside is a soft whining, then a hitching cry.

What should I do? In my introductions, didn't I meet a... a healer?...Freelance! That's right!

Wheeling around, I allow my hooves to carry me as quickly as they could down the hall, towards the 'medical bay'. The floor clatters hollowly beneath my hooves, and as I arrive at the medbay door and attempt to slow, my feet give and I slide down the corridor a ways, finally coming to an unsteady halt.

Carefully picking my way back to the medbay and the door slides open in front of me, I look for Freelance.

"Freelance!" I squeak, still a bit shy. He emerges from the hall quickly, holding a towel.

"Sweet Primus, Raindance," he says, setting the rag down. "You've made quite a ruckus... what's wrong?"

"Ultra... Ultra Magnus," I tell him. "He's hurting, and Watchman said everything was okay but he sounded like he was in so much pain-"

"Alright," Freelance says, nodding slowly. "Calm down... just take a breath. How was your tour?"

His second question catches me off guard. "My... tour?"

"Yeah, of the ship," he says, rummaging in a drawer. He pulls out a white box with a red cross on the front.

"It was... short," I squeak. "Please, you must hurry!"

Freelance nods. "It is alright," he says. "Did you meet anyone you like?"

My mind instantly goes to Fireside, and I nod. "Yes... Fireside, the... the 'mechanic'."

Freelance smiles, putting a jar in his box. "Oh yes, he is enjoyable company... go back to your room, Raindance, I'm going right now. Do you want me to come speak with you once I'm finished with Magnus?"

Vigorously I nod. "Go, now!" I cry, and he passes me, a hand brushing my flank.

I watch him disappear into the hall, the sliding door shutting. I am alone in the medbay for a few moments, before I turn and exit as well, seeking out my room. Stepping into my sleeping quarters, I shut the door and sigh, going to my pile of sleeping skins. Pulling my bow out of the leaping-deer skin, I nestle it beside the wall, along with my quiver of arrows. I rearrange my sleeping skins and lie down, seeing my rabbit skin gloves from Flowing Water. My mind begins to wander as I breathe in their familiar scent.

Flowing Water... I can picture him in my mind, his smile, his laugh... his kiss. What did it mean? He always had chased after the... the other females. Did he like me? Did he like me like... that? He was my best friend, I never thought of him as a suitor...

My stomach turns. Did he have feelings for me? Suddenly, the only place I want to be is home... home, with Father, and figuring things out with Flowing Water...

"I will wait for you..." I can hear him speaking in my mind.

My thoughts are shoved away as someone knocks on my door. Scrambling up, I throw a skin over my bow and hurriedly open the door. Fireside stands outside, holding two cubes of energon.

"Hi," he says, giving me a gentle smile. "I thought you might be hungry..."

My stomach turns again, reminding me of the upset inside of me. "I'm okay," I mumble, looking away.

The cubes disappear from his hands, and he gently tips my chin up. "Hey now..." he murmurs, looking down into my eyes, the only emotion in his a deep kindness. "I know you're thinking about home... I'm sorry you were taken so roughly, but it'll turn out okay. I promise," he says, smiling down at me. "May I come in?"

I study his eyes, looking deep into them, but the kindness is unchanging. Slowly, I nod. His hand pulls back and he crosses the slight threshold into my room.

"These quarters haven't been cleaned," he says, spotting the blue stain on the floor. "Would you like me to clean it up?"

I look at him. "You... it's okay..."

"Are you sure? It won't take me long," he says.

"Well..."

"Alright then," he laughs. A rag and bottle appear in his hands and he kneels down, wetting the rag and beginning to scrub on the floor. It takes a few minutes to lift the stain from the floor, and he sits back. Now, that spot of the metal paneling is shiny and silver, the rest a flat, dull gray.

"Hmm," he says. "Just a minute, let me go grab a mop."

Standing, he exits and walks down the hall. I stare at the clean spot on the floor, and wait. He is gone for quite a few minutes, and I begin to wonder if Fireside will return. Just as the consideration for his non-return crosses my mind, he comes back, carrying a bucket, and what is presumably a mop. He also holds a bundle of rags.

"Sorry that took so long," he says, setting the bucket down. "It took a few minutes to prepare the water."

He dunks the mop into the bucket. "How about you pick up your things and set them out in the hall, and I'll wash the floor... you can wash out those shelves over there."

I look across the room and notice a set of shelves I had overlooked when the room was given to me.

"Okay," I murmur, going quickly and scooping up my things, depositing them out in the hall. Returning to Fireside, he gives me a rag and a bottle of something.

"Wet the rag and wipe it down," he says. I nod, and go to the shelves.

Some sort of clear wall covers the front, and I tug on a visible latch, which opens the shelf up. Wetting the rag, I start to clean.

"I know you're from the Neytek tribe..." he prompts. "Have you ever seen any Mecha before us?"

I shake my head. "No," I respond quietly. "Not before today... have you ever seen a horse-being?"

"Nope," he says, water sloshing. "Although, we call those Mecha with frames shaped like yours 'centaurs'."

"Centaur," I repeat softly, tasting the word. "Huh."

We both fall silent, working quietly. Finally, I muster up the courage to ask, "What is this clear wall?"

Fireside looks over. "The glass? On front of the shelves?"

I nod.

"Oh! That's glass... it's like a wall, but it can break easier. That shelf is welded to the wall, and that glass is used to keep everything inside if the ship loses stability."

I nod a little, looking at it. "Strange..."

We quiet again, and as he works, Fireside starts to hum. After working across the floor, he has me step aside so he can was the floor in front of the shelf. He scrubs along the wall, then dunks the mop into the bucket.

"Look at that floor..." he murmurs.

Turning from the shelf, I stare in awe at the floor. "Fireside," I whisper. "It's perfect..."

The floor is the same bright silver as the spot, and the scent of the male who stayed here before me is gone.

"Good," Fireside says, smiling. "Now... why don't you go get your things, and rearrange your room?"

I nod eagerly, trotting out into the hall, grabbing my pile of skins. Bringing them back in, I accidentally drop the skin holding my decorations, and it opens, skins and objects falling out. I step over them carefully, laying my skins down by the wall. When I turn back around, I see Fireside picking up one of the decorative skins, one that belongs to a tree-cat.

"What is this for?" he asks, inspecting the fur closely.

"It is for... for decoration," I tell him, grabbing up the others. "It's nothing, really-"

"Would you like to put them up?" he asks, looking up at me.

"Uh..." I stammer. "I... yes, please..."

He nods and smiles. "Alright! I have some hooks here, in subspace..."

His left hand disappears, and reappears with a box of something and a hammer. "Now, where do you want this one..."

There are five skins in all: a tree-cat, a striped horse, a male leaping-deer, a shadowcat, and a young flying demon. Tenderly, Fireside taps the hooks into the wall, hooking the skins at the corners where I had pierced holes for hanging them. Finally, they are all hung up, and my room looks nearly like my hut did.

Fireside helps me hang up my bow and quiver next to my sleeping skin pile, and he nods once everything is hung up. Opening the leaping-deer skin that was in with my sleeping skins, I tuck my volume of medicinal teachings into the shelf, along with the ivory carving from Flowing Water and flask and tail comb from Mother.

"The carving is very beautiful," Fireside says, looking into the shelves at it.

"Thank you," I whisper. "My... my best friend made it for me."

He smiles, brushing the glass surface of the shelves with his fingertips, and he turns, putting a hand out to me. "It'll be okay," he says. "Once you have been trained, you can go back and forth to Alaba whenever you want."

I look up at him and take his hand silently. His thumb rubs over the back of my hand gently, and he sighs, pulling me into a warm hug. Taken aback at first, I quickly press into it, the warmth welcoming and calming.

"We'll land tomorrow, and you can see a new world," he murmurs, rubbing my back. "It will be exciting, I promise."

After quite a while, I pull back, feeling a bit melancholy. Fireside smiles down at me, reaching back into his 'subspace', pulling out the two cubes of energon. "Here," he says. "Keep them... you might have the midnight munchies."

I look at the glowing cubes, and accept them quietly. "Thank you," I mumble.

"I should alert you that you have slept most of the day away," Fireside rumbles. "It's nearly seven o'clock in the evening, so I would turn in now. If Magnus doesn't beat me to it, I'll come up and wake you, if you like."

"Okay," I whisper. "Thanks."

He steps back, going to the door. "Sleep well, Raindance. I'll see you tomorrow."

I watch him go into the hall, giving me a kind smile before he shuts the door. I look at the floor, so clean and shiny now, and sigh. I sink into my sleeping skins, suddenly weary. I pull one over my back and curl into them, preparing to sleep. Softly, someone knocks on my door, again.

"Raindance? It's Freelance, I'm just here for a quick moment," he calls from the other side of the door. "May I come in?"

"Yes," I call softly, sitting up, rearranging my skins a little more neatly.

The door opens, and Freelance enters, still holding his white box. "I am here to let you know about Ultra Magnus," he says. "He is fine... this just happens sometimes. I'll let him explain to you everything else, but I came to tell you that he is alright, and sleeping peacefully."

I nod firmly. "Good," I declare. "He was hurting, and you have stopped that."

He smiles and reaches out, taking ahold of the doorknob. "I'll let you sleep," he murmurs. "Goodnight..."

He turns off the light, closes the door, and is gone. I hear his footsteps leading away from my room, and I sigh. Lying back down, I pull my skins around my shoulders, and let my mind drift.


	4. Chapter 4

I wake to a knocking on my door. "Raindance," Fireside calls. "C'mon, we're about to land... wake up, it's time to go."

I groan, pushing myself up from the floor. Stretching, I pile my skins up and stand, stretching again. I feel dirty, and need to wash, but I go to the door and open it. Fireside stands outside, smiling happily at me. He wears a BREASTPLATE over his chest, and I can see that it is a brilliant scarlet to match the rest of him.

"C'mon, we'll head up to the helm!" he chirps giddily. "The ship is descending, we are about to land."

"Really?" I ask, very excited. "Am I going home? Are we back on Alaba?"

He shakes his head. "No, Raindance... this is Anilex. This is the place that I come from."

My head spins. There was more than Alaba out there? Well, yes, my head tells me. Fireside has to come from somewhere...

"Oh," I say, disappointed but still eager. "Let's go look!"

He smiles and turns, walking with me down the hall, back to the helm. When we enter, I instantly spot Ultra Magnus and Freelance standing behind the pilots, watching as the ship comes in closer and closer to a section of dark ground.

"Fire portside boosters," Ultra Magnus commands, and Starkstorm touches something on his screen. The ship sways to the left, and I spread my hooves, not wanting to fall over.

"Alright... now, the left... avoid that tree... and set it down."

The ship gets even closer to the ground, swaying a little, and I feel it jolt as the ship meets the ground. I feel giddy, excited to go outside. Ultra Magnus turns, and upon spotting me, smiles a little.

"Raindance," he addresses me, "Did you sleep well?"

I nod. "Very well," I agree. "Are you... are you feeling better?"

He nods. "Don't worry about me... are you ready to disembark?"

I bounce on my front hooves anxiously. "Yes!" I squeal. "Yes, yes!"

Chuckling, he reaches down and keys something into a PANEL near him. "There... you can lead her outside, Fireside. Make sure to stay near the ship, Raindance. This is a new place and you might be slightly disoriented."

"OKAY!" I cry, turning to Fireside. "Quickly, quickly! I want to go outside!"

He laughs and turns, leading me out into the hall and down the hallway ramp. I see a glimpse of light, and turn for it, racing to the ramp which leads down to the ground.

"Well, go on," Fireside giggles.

Squealing, I bound down the ramp, calling out excitedly as my hooves hit the ground, digging into the dirt and thrusting my body forwards. Squealing like a little girl, I throw myself onto the ground, rolling around in the dirt, kicking up my feet and rolling deep into the soil. When I pick myself up, I finally take notice of my surroundings. Humongous trees stretch up above me, with dark brown, chunky bark. They don't appear to have leaves... they look like the needle-trees in the acacia forests near our village.

The ground is covered with spongy, deep green moss, and it is slightly damp. bove me, the sky is washed out, slightly grey, and it appears to look like the rainy season did at home.

I shiver. It's cold out here! If we really are alike, Ultra Magnus, why don't I wear armor like you? I wonder if it keeps them warm? Shivering again, I look up the ramp at Fireside. He is laughing, watching me.

"You have some moss on your back," he giggles.

Turning, I see a swath of moss laid out on my horse-back, and I brush it off.

"It's cold out here!" I squeak.

"Do you have anything to put on?" Fireside asks. "I don't know if I have anything for you."

Hmm... wait! Flowing Water has given me so many rabbit-skin clothes... I'm sure he's given me a vest.

"Let me go look," I call, and bound up the ramp, turning for my room quickly. I enter, and dig through my bag of rabbit skins. Indeed, there is a vest, and I pull it on. Ooh, that's better... nice and warm. Turning, I exit my room and run back out to Fireside, dismounting the ramp again.

"Ultra Magnus will join us and we will go to the base," Fireside says. "I think-"

"Fireside."

Ultra Magnus's voice cuts through the calm, still air. "Do you need to go to the Autobase?"

Fireside looks up at him. "I was going to show Raindance around... I remember being here last time, and there were so many fun shops in the human village-"

"Is the problem with the engines fixed? I hear you're still having boiler problems."

Fireside VENTS and puts a hand on his hip. "Magnus-"

"Get back to the engines," Ultra Magnus says. "You are a mechanic first, tour guide second. Do you want me to assign someone other than myself to Raindance? I can tell you that Freelance is busy and Starkstorm and Quicksight have left on their flight... that only leaves our new recruits-"

"Fine," Fireside grits out, turning and walking back up the ramp. "I'll work on the engines. Bring me back a tub of oil."

Ultra Magnus nods, and trades places with Fireside, who waves sadly to me, and disappears back into the ship.

"Let us proceed," Ultra Magnus says. "I am going to transform, do not be alarmed."

His body shifts, changes, and some sort of Titan vehicle rests on the moss in front of me.

"I will drive slow enough for you to keep up," he says. "It is a short jaunt to the Autobase, it will give you some time to burn up your extra energy."

I nod a little, slightly confused. Something inside of him growls and rumbles, and his vehicle form starts to move. I walk alongside him until we meet a pathway, and he begins to pick up speed. I dive off into the undergrowth beside the road, relishing in the freedom of being able to run. My legs, dormant for a day, burn slowly until my muscles figure out they won't be stopping, and I relax into the pace Ultra Magnus has set. He is silent up until the trees begin to thin.

"We are entering the student portion of the Seashells base," he announces. "I will not transform until we have reached the base - do not stop or speak to any of the inhabitants or humans here. We have not the time."

"Okay..." I say, peeking around him at the upcoming village. From out of a wooden building, I see my first human.

He looks like a fleshy Titan, although not as tall. He has hair like an animal, and bright curious brown eyes. He stares at me as I stare at him, jogging past. He waves a little, but I am so entranced by his shape that I don't wave back. After passing through the village, the ground begins to slope, and a massive structure rises up beneath us. Ultra Magnus slows and halts, then 'transforms' again.

"This is the Seashells Autobase," he says. "It sits right on the coastline - we can go down to the beach after awhile, so you can experience the ocean."

He walks down the slight incline, me walking beside him. A sliding door opens, and a mech runs out, up to Ultra Magnus.

"Ultra Magnus, SIR!" he barks loudly, a hand slapping up to his forehead in a salute, then to his glasses, taped in the middle and slipping down his forehead. "It is an honor to receive you SIR!"

"At ease, Maxcharter," Ultra Magnus commands. "We have come to refuel - I need to speak to Watercress."

Maxcharter squeals. "YES SIR! COME INSIDE, SIR!" His salute goes down then snaps back up, forehead making a slapping sound as he hits himself.

Ultra Magnus waits until Maxcharter turns and enters the building, following after him. I follow Ultra Magnus, and upon entering my eyes must adjust to the dim lighting.

"Whoa..." I murmur, looking up and around. "This is made for giants..."

"Many of us are larger than I am," Ultra Magnus says. "Even they must be able to go inside."

I look up at him. "Oh..."

"Watercress is in his office, SIR!"

"Thank you," Ultra Magnus says crisply, and he enters the 'office' once Maxcharter has opened the door.

I follow him, curious. Inside, a mech sits at a desk, writing on a square pad. His sky-blue eyes dance up to look at Ultra Magnus, and he smiles.

"Magnus," he greets. "I see you have made it safely back to the land of the good."

"The seas were quiet on our journey," Ultra Magnus responds. "We have need to refuel."

"Then so be it," Watercress says. "I'll let my Air Commander know and he will send the tanker out your way. Are you well rested on your travels?"

"As much rest as I need," Ultra Magnus sighs. "We need only fuel, then we'll take our leave. This is Raindance, the new ambassador we went to Alaba to fetch. The Prime decreed we have a native Alaban on our Council Board just in case some decision must be made over it."

"Then all the luck to you," Watercress teases. "Raindance, is it? Come on over here so I can make your lovely acquaintance."

Shyly, I peek out from behind Ultra Magnus's back. "Hello," I whisper, and he smiles upon seeing me. His DENTA are shining and silver, perfectly straight and dazzlingly bright.

"Hello yourself," he chuckles. "I trust that you had a good trip? How are you liking it on Anilex's southern coast?"

"It's cold," I mumble. "Different than home."

"Well, that is to be suspected somehow," Watercress says kindly. "Here, take this down to the shops... it will get you a nice, thick coat. I don't think your skins are going to hold up here where it is so frosty and damp."

He digs in his desk, pulling out a little slip of PARCHMENT, which he hands to Ultra Magnus. Ultra Magnus, in turn, hands it to me. Strange shapes cover it, none that I recognize. "Thank you," I mumble.

He smiles. "I'll let you go," he says. "You have someone new to teach, Magnus. Have fun."

Ultra Magnus sighs and turns. I back out of the room, allowing him to exit as well. He turns, walking back down the hall, and I follow. Maxcharter walks briskly along behind me. As we make it to the door, an extremely loud ALARM goes off above us. Maxcharter turns and dashes back to Watercress's office, and Ultra Magnus looks up at the source of the alarm. Surprised, I rear up, backing up and calling out.

"Raindance, calm," Ultra Magnus says, putting a hand up. "We are not in danger."

"ULTRA MAGNUS!" I cry, covering my ears.

I feel his hand on my foreleg, and he pulls me down, shoving me outside. When he shuts the door, the noise stops, and I slowly sink to the ground, trembling. He puts a hand on my shoulders, the other on my head, and he holds me close. I can hear the rumble of his ENGINE and the thump of his spark through his armor.

"Ultra Magnus," I whisper.

"Shh... I am here, child," he rumbles, "do not fear."

I whimper and clutch onto his arm, the sound still ringing in my ears.

"That is the alarm for an attack," he murmurs. "We live near the sea, and this is a high-volume spot for creature attacks off the coast. We will have to be refueled now, since the jets must be used to tow the water teams... let's go watch, It will give you a feel for our style of fighting."

As he pulls away I whine, hurriedly standing to follow him. He walks back into the building, hand tight on my arm. I cannot pull away or change his course, and he tugs me up the corridor, into an open space and out. The world opens into a large DOCK, with Mecha leaping into the water, CHAINED to JETS flying above them. In the water, a monstrous creature of some sort rears up, mouth agape and roaring. Water streams from it's jaws, sliding down the silvery-green scales lining it's tubular body.

"That is a class four sea snake," Ultra Magnus says "Bred deep in the trenches, it comes up to feed... and attack us."

I watch the snake breach the water, splashing back down as it is SHOT at. "Why are they killing it?" I ask quietly. "It isn't hurting anything... it lives in the waters..."

"Because it would come ashore if we did not kill it now," Ultra Magnus murmurs. "It is best this way... it saves this base here from further destruction."

I sigh, watching the snake writhe and screech in pain. "Can't they do it faster?"

"No."

One of the flying mechs fires off a MISSILE and it blows up against the snake's head - the creature makes no more sound, and falls into the water, dead. The water-bound Mecha grab hooks falling from the sky, shoving them into the creature's hide. Turning for shore, they transform and start speeding back to shore, while the flying Mecha drag the dead creature to shore.

"Well, now that's over with," Ultra Magnus sighs. "Now we will be refueled. Come, Raindance, it is time - we must return to the ship."

I groan and make to follow him. As he walks back up to the road, he chuckles, watching my expression. "Don't fret, we won't be flying for nearly as long - maybe an hour or so. We can't use the spacial rockets like we did to get here, it could affect the environment severely."

He transforms on the muddy road, and I walk up beside him as his engines start.

"I will... race you back to the ship," he offers, and I grin.

"OKAY!"


	5. Chapter 5

With a roar he takes off, tires spinning mud, and I race into the forest. I remember vaguely how we arrived to the base, but going back to the ship is easy. The trees guide my eyes, and my eyes guide my hooves. Digging into the soft ground, I let out a whoop as my body is propelled forward. On the road, Ultra Magnus makes up the rear, left behind by my maneuverability and off-road capabilities.

I see the ship in the trees, and after leaping a fallen log I make a sliding stop to the base of the ramp, watching as he pulls up, muddied and laughing.

"I see you won," he teases. "You're a bit muddy there, miss."

Breathlessly smiling, I look down at my legs, my long, powerful legs, and indeed, they are splattered thickly with mud.

"Oh," I squeak, suddenly thinking about my room. How am I going to wash up?

"Don't worry," he says. "I apologize for not showing you the washracks yesterday on our tour, but I was feeling sick. Come; I will show you their location."

Transforming, he stands. His legs are muddied and filthy, but he walks up the ramp with confidence. Turning immediately to the right, he opens up a side door.

"This is an elevator," he explains. "It goes up and down to the various levels of the ship, it is an alternative to the ramps. Don't be frightened, it might seem weird the first time."

He steps inside, and beckons for me to follow. Shyly, I step inside, barely fitting, and the door slides shut. Once the contraption begins to move, I realize just how close I am pressed to him - his chest is mere inches from my face.

"P-Pardon me," I squeak, trying to back up. My rump hits the door.

"Don't worry about it," he says good-naturedly. "It isn't a bother."

Suddenly, the floor begins to move, suddenly going down. I brace with my feet, looking up and expecting the ceiling to be moving.

It's not.

I blush, suddenly remembering what Ultra Magnus said. It goes up and down, it's for TRANSPORT. As it slows and ultimately stops, the door opens.

"This is the third level of the ship," Ultra Magnus says. "This level has your sleeping quarters on it, as well as a showering unit we refer to as the washracks. Come, I'll show you."

He walks down the hall, and I follow close behind, eager to be washed and cleaned. Within minutes he is opening another door, and showing me its' contents.

Inside, the room is TILED in white, the floor a CEMENT gray. Stepping inside, he goes to the far corner, touching a DIAL on the wall. Water sprays from a SHOWER HEAD attached to the wall, hitting the floor beside him. "See? Water. Our showers are not powered with solvent."

I nod eagerly. "That's amazing! We never had water to control in the village..."

He smiles, turning it off. "I'll leave you to it, then... I have a washracks to use in my quarters, so I will give you more privacy in here. If you are uncomfortable about washing with the other Mecha, I will see what I can do to have a shower installed in your room."

"I think I'm going to be okay," I murmur, looking up at the shower head. "We bathed together in the village."

He nods, stepping back. "I shall see you when we land... if you want, I can put your skins in your quarters - I'm going that way."

Looking down at myself, I nod, slowly pulling off the vest and gloves, quietly handing them to him. Turning, he walks swiftly to the door, exiting without another word. I reach for the dial, about to turn the water on, when the ship rocks slightly underneath me, and there is a growling above me.

"-pardon me, sir-"

Fireside steps into the washracks, holding a towel. His chest is bare and covered in something black and greasy. "Raindance!" he squeaks, grinning widely. He shuts the door and hangs his towel on a bar attached to the wall.

"Fireside," I whimper. "What is happening?"

He looks up. "That is the ship being refueled," he says. "Nothing to fear, we are safe here... jeez, did you get muddy! Was it fun, at least?"

I look down at my legs. Whoops. "Oh yes," I giggle. "It was very much fun."

He walks over to me, touching the dial on the wall next to mine. Water sprays down onto him, and he turns so it hits him in the back first. The black stuff comes off with the water's spray, and he sighs, smiling blissfully.

"How did you get so... dirty?" I ask, looking him up and down.

"The engines started to spit out some oil and grease... although I got the problem with the boiler fixed," he says. "This just happens sometimes when I check the oil level - some comes out."

I nod, understanding some of what he says. "That sounds... interesting..."

He laughs, turning to face me. "You should come down sometime and I'll teach you the basics."

Grinning, I touch the dial in front of me... and the water that comes out is cold. VERY cold.

"EEEK!" I squeal, bounding back, away from it. Fireside laughs and reaches over, adjusting it.

"Try that," he says. "It should be warmer now."

I look at him, then hesitantly put a foreleg out to feel. Indeed... the water is steadily growing warmer.

"Wow," I murmur, stepping forward. It feels so nice... we never bathed in warm water, even though it felt wonderful... warm water held disease.

"Good?" he asks, giving me a little grin.

I look at him and nod vigorously, relishing in the warmth after the cold outside. Fireside's hand reaches into his 'subspace' and he pulls out a brush, then begins pulling off his armor pieces. I watch with fascination as the pieces just come away from his body with little effort. How did they stay on?

"See something you like?" he teases. "Whatcha thinkin' about?"

"I'm wondering about how the armor stays on your body," I ask. "We don't wear any... it doesn't leave any marks or anything."

Pulling off the last few pieces, he piles all of them except for one in the DRAIN and turns to me.

"The simplest way to describe it is magnetism," he says, showing me the edges. They are silvery and don't match the color exactly. "This part sticks to me because I am magnetic - which means in this sense that I can control some metal externally."

He sets the piece on the floor and holds his hand out - the piece picks itself up and flies to stick to his hand. "See?"

I watch with great fascination. "Wow..." I whisper. "This... is not devilry?"

"No," he chuckles, setting the piece in the drain with the others. "Pure technology."

Thinking this over, I turn to face the spray, which feels nice coursing down my chest. He is quiet for a little, picking up pieces of armor and scrubbing them, letting the water wash his body naturally. Normally, we would bathe with partners, so we could reach the other's legs and underbelly. Using my hands, I start to wipe off the mud, washing it from my skin. Reaching down, I scrub at my front legs. Once finished with those, though, I look back at my rump - still splattered with mud. Turning, I let the water hit me there. Some washes off, but not all.

"Want some help?" Fireside asks. I look at him abruptly, caught off guard. "I... uh... yes," I sigh, looking down. "I have forgotten what it is like to bathe... we do not wash often in this season."

He smiles, reaching back into 'subspace' to pull out a cloth, which he wets down in the water. "It's no issue," he says, walking over and working on my back. "It's... it's nice having someone to take care of, at least for a little while."

He washes my back, my shoulders and withers, then my horse-back. Crouching, he starts to wash my underbelly and back legs.

"I am so amazed that this is your body," he says, rubbing down my back left leg, feeling the muscle of my haunch and lower leg. "It is truly awesome."

I blush, looking back at him, lifting up my hoof so he can inspect it. "I do not know anything else," I murmur. "This is the body I awoke in."

He smiles, tracing my hoof with a finger. "And it is remarkable."

Setting my foot down, he washes the rest of my rump and rinses out the cloth. "When we stop I think I'm going to find you some cleaning supplies," he says. "Like a cloth and towel, and maybe a brush... I bet when we stop at Rocky Slopes that you'll get outfitted for armor."

I look up at him as he stands. "Armor?" I ask. "You mean... I have to wear that?"

He chuckles. "Yes," he says. "I think you will 'have to wear' it."

He turns off his water, going and grabbing his towel. He dries off his back, dragging it across his muscled shoulders, and sighs. I look up into the spray of my shower and let my eyes close. He begins to dry his armor, piece by piece, and he dresses.

"-hey, Raindance, you wanna use my towel? It's not very wet, and I don't mind."

I turn to him and open my eyes, then nod. Reaching out, I turn the water off, and nearly instantly begin to shiver. He goes to me swiftly, drying my horse-back off, then my underbelly and legs. He then dries off my upright body, draping my shoulders with the towel.

"C'mon," he murmurs, "Let's get you to your room."

I nod a little, still very cold, and he leads me out of the washracks. Walking down the hall, he brings me to my room, and opens the door, helping me inside. He picks up my vest and rabbit-skin gloves, carrying them with him as he leads me to my sleeping furs. He nestles me in them, pulling the furs snug around my body.

"Well, if you do decide to get armor, you'll stay considerably warmer," he murmurs. "Here, just relax... do you want me to sit with you?"

I look up at him and nod shakily. HIs arms and hands were so warm...

Carefully he eases down beside me, holding my woman-body in his arms, arranging the furs to cover all of me and part of him. His FRAME is so warm, I can't help but press up against it.

"Shh... just relax..."

He rubs my shoulder under the fur, turning closer to me so even more of his chest's surface area touches me. I shiver, and he sighs. "Oh dear, Raindance... you're not meant for these cool temperatures."

"The s-savannah never w-was cold like this," I whisper.

"Yes... but I'm here, I'm warm..." he murmurs. "Shh... just relax..."

I allow my eyes to close, listening to the beating of his spark. Oh... this feels so nice...

My mind drifts back to when Father would hold me as a youngling. He would take me in his big, strong arms and hold me tight, right next to Mother as we slept. Only in my adolescence did I live outside of the main hut, since Mother birthed my brother. He consumed most of her time, and caused lots of noise and trouble.

The thoughts change, and move to Flowing Water. I met him when I was first brought out of my hut, into the bright sun of the savannah. I had watched from the door many a day, but Mother said I may not go outside unless accompanied by her. When she took me outside on my own four feet for the first time, I ran and bounded and played in the sungrass, gleeful and eager to be outside. Mother followed along behind me, laughing and watching.

Stumbling over a large stone, though it must have been only a pebble, I ran face-first into Flowing Water. He was older than me, just slightly, and this was his third trip outside.

"Guess what I can do," he boasted, sticking his chest out. His arms were thin and he was a scrawny thing, but well-liked by our community. His mother was also quite thin, with dainty legs and slim hooves.

Before I could even reply to his answer, he ran into the grass, topped a fallen, drying log, and leapt off, sailing over me and landing in the grass.

"That is very nice, Flowing Water," my mother commented, with a hint of amusement in her voice. I saw him stand from the grasses, with a fluff of grass on his head.

I remember that I giggled and he protested about my laughter, but in the end we did play the entire time and go home exhausted.

As I finish my remembrance, I feel someone rubbing my shoulder.


	6. Chapter 6

"Raindance... Raindance, time to wake up..."

I groan softly, and blink awake in the arms of Fireside. "You've slept for as long as can be allowed..." he murmurs. "We are coming in to land..."

I am awake within moments, looking up at him with round eyes. He held me? While I was... sleeping?

"Hi there," he says warmly. "Good evening..."

I stretch and pull away, standing. My left rear leg is asleep, and my rump dips down on it. Fireside stands beside me, smiling, and looks me over. "I'd wear your vest," he says. "It is going to be a bit cool where we're going."

I look up at him, then nod and pull it out from my things, threading my arms through it. He goes to the door and opens it, and I follow him out. The telltale bumping of the ship landing rocks the hallway, and I cling to his arm while my feet spread in surprise.

"Easy," he chuckles. "The ship won't move more than that little bit. Ultra Magnus has told me I can lead you out of the ship, but you are required to wait for him to come before you leave the area."

I sigh and nod. "Okay."

He steps out, then turns to look at me. "Are you hungry?" he asks.

I think about my hunger. No.

"No, but thank you," I murmur, and he smiles, waiting for me to follow. As we walk down the hall towards the exit, we are met by Ultra Magnus.

"Raindance," he addresses me, "are you ready?"

I look up at him. "Um... I think so," I murmur.

He nods. "Let's go, then... it's time to enter the settlement - I have a medic waiting for us."

"A... a medic? Why?"

"Every time a new Mecha is brought into the Forces they must be checked out by an Autobot medic to make sure they are fit and ready to serve."

"I am healthy," I say, putting a hand on my frontal hip. "I am not impregnated."

"I didn't say you were not whole or carrying," Ultra Magnus says. "It is a routine work over."

I sigh, and nod, defeated. He turns, and begins walking down the hallway - I follow, looking back at Fireside.

"I'll catch you later," he says, with a gentle smile.

I sigh and look forward again, following Ultra Magnus. He leads me to the ramp and down - the world once again becomes slightly grey and drizzly, and the ground is covered with the same moss as the Seashells place. A dirt path leads from the ship into the forest.

"Where are we?" I ask, looking around. "It looks like we haven't left."

"We went farther north," Ultra Magnus responds. "This place is the Alondran Forest, and the township we will be crossing into is the Rocky Slopes."

"Oh..."

"Come," he orders. "We are not far, I will not transform. It is just a short walk out of these trees."

He begins to walk and I follow him, looking up and around at the trees. Their leaves look different than the Seashells vegetation had... I wonder what they are.

"Are you enjoying your stay on our ship?" Ultra Magnus asks. "I see Fireside stayed with you."

"His company is pleasant," I murmur, watching a swallow fly past with a piece of grass. "He understands what is happening. My quarters are fine."

"Just fine?"

"Well... Fireside came by and he helped me clean them... he is awfully nice."

"Yes, yes he is..."

I direct my attention upwards again. The trees are so tall... much larger than anything back at home. They look even taller than the leaf-eaters that would walk past our village every season, mottled yellow and brown pelt blending into the savannah. I always wanted a pelt from one-

"Get DOWN!" Ultra Magnus belts, and he crashes into my side, shoving me into the underbrush.

Letting out a startled squeal, I look up at him in surprise and fear, then spy the object of his concern. Some form of shadowcat stands in the path, hissing.

"When I let you go, you must run back to the ship," Ultra Magnus murmurs in my ear. "Do you understand? To the ship."

"Okay," I whisper.

"On my count... three, two, ONE!"

His arms pull back and I spring upright, leaping out of the bushes and racing for the ship, hooves digging furrows in the soft dirt path. The ship sprouts up in front of me and I race up the ramp, halting at the top. I look for Ultra Magnus - wouldn't he follow me? I close my eyes and listen with my ears... there is the sound of a fight emanating from the jungle.

Making a decision, I run back to my room, throw open the door, and snatch my bow off the hooks on the wall. Stringing it in one smooth motion, I seize my quiver of arrows, slinging it over my shoulder as I race out again. Leaping from the ship onto the ground, I gather strength, sprinting back into the forest.

As I come to where Ultra Magnus and I had hidden, I spot Ultra Magnus fighting the cat, holding some sort of long, metal knife. A SWORD.

"Ultra Magnus!" I cry, and as he turns to look at me, snap up my bow and fire off an arrow, which lodges itself in the cat's chest. Moving faster than a blink I shoot another arrow into it's eye, and the shadowcat falls.

Chest heaving, I lower my bow, looking up at Ultra Magnus. He glares down at me, breathing nearly as hard. "Raindance," he addresses me, tone harsh at first. "That was... extraordinary."

His voice gentles with his last word, and he smiles a little, subspacing his sword. "I did not know you were an archer."

"I am a fine archer," I say proudly, pulling my bow back up to show him.

My bow is bone-white, being from a flying whale, and it is nearly as long as I am tall. Five feathers hang from the top on a sinewy leather cord, representing my family and Flowing Water. The handpiece is cultured leather, worn smooth from years of use, and it has twenty-three notches on it, marking my age. Spirals line the arms, with written glyphs intermixed among them. The one nearest my hand is Flowing Water's name.

"It is a very nice weapon," Ultra Magnus observes. "Let us take the carcass with us to Rocky Slopes - we can sell the meat and you can have some spare Shanix."

I nod a little, and look down at the fallen shadowcat. Two grey and green tipped feathers poke out of it's body, and I kneel down, freeing the mountain-rock heads from the cat's body. Blood drips off of them, and I wipe the heads in the cat's fur, slipping the arrows back into my quiver. Long hours I had spent making these arrows, all the same length and all the same size, not for them to be left in a carcass. All fifteen arrows accounted for, I sling my bow over my shoulder and pick up the shadowcat, throwing it over my back and rump.

"I am ready," I declare, looking up at Ultra Magnus. He nods slowly, and continues walking.

We pass through the forest uninterrupted, and make it to the 'Rocky Slopes'. A massive wooden wall rises up before us, and I see humans walking along the very top. We are greeted by a man, who speaks to Ultra Magnus and then leads us in through an equally massive gate.

"Who is he?" I ask quietly, looking up at Ultra Magnus.

"He is Agonic, the leader of this town," Ultra Magnus responds. "He is just making sure that we aren't malicious."

I ponder this. Anyone was welcome in our village...

After being brought inside, Ultra Magnus leads me down the walkway to a shop. Cobblestone and metal buildings surround us, all stretching up to compete with the trees for height.

"This is the butcher shop," Ultra Magnus says. "Allow me to bring the carcass inside, you are... a tad large for the doorway."

I look past him at the door. He does speak the truth... my rump probably would not fit...

"Fine," I sigh, and he nods, lifting the shadowcat off of my back and walking inside. I watch the villagers go by - they look at me with equal fascination. After a few minutes, Ultra Magnus returns with a pouch of coins, which he gives to me.

"For you," Ultra Magnus says. "Fifty-four Shanix."

I open the pouch and look inside. Glowing blue coins look back at me, and it looks like there are many, many, many...

Ultra Magnus puts his hand out to me. "Come. We must head to the medical facility, we have a crowd waiting for us."

I take his hand, looking up at him. "A crowd?"

"Two medics and a smithy," Ultra Magnus informs me. "Not a very large crowd."

He leads me back down the street, towards the gate, and we stop in front of a door on the left. Opening it, we walk inside - it appears to be a medbay, set up nearly the same way as it is upon the ship. One mech and a human male sit at a DESK in the far left hand corner.

"Junction? Dr. Park? We have arrived," Ultra Magnus announces, releasing my hand.

Junction looks up. "Ultra Magnus, sir," he says, standing abruptly to plaster a salute to his forehead.

"Please," Ultra Magnus says, waving to him. "This is Raindance, the new ambassador."

Junction walks around his desk, and looks me over. "Raindance..." he murmurs, then he looks up at me. "Let's get your exam started," he says. "Right this way."

He leads me away from Ultra Magnus, towards the other side of the room, and once we have reached the place he wanted, he draws a curtain around us. The human doctor joins us in a moment, with a big, friendly smile on his face. "Raindance," he says warmly. "Fresh from Alaba?"

"It has taken us two days to journey here," I tell him, turning as Junction pushes on my rump.

"Move over a little, please," he says.

I step over, against the wall, and he closes us in with the curtain.

"Don't be frightened," the human says. 'Dr. Park,' I remind myself.

He approaches me, hands out. "May I touch you?" he asks. Nodding a little, I watch as he puts his hands on my horse-shoulder, running them down my left foreleg, feeling my hoof, the hock of my hoof, and then he slides his hands back up. He runs his hands over my sides, then down my back leg.

"I am here to check out your femme half," Junction says, pulling something out of subspace. "This is a medscanner - I am going to touch you with it, and it will tell me about your internals."

I don't have time to react before he is in front of me, pressing it against my chest, and the human doctor picks up my back hoof. I lean back, unprepared for the medscanner's cold touch, and yelp as my rump bends unexpectedly - lurching forward, I squeal as I come into contact with Junction. Immediately my back hoof is back on the ground and the human steps away. I back quickly up to touch the wall.

"Ultra Magnus," I whimper, and the curtain is gently pushed aside, Ultra Magnus peeking inside. "Raindance?" he asks softly.

"Help," I whisper, and he looks over Junction and Dr. Park. "Raindance, they are not going to hurt you," he says. "They must touch you. Would it help if only one medic looks at you at a time?"

I nod slowly, and he nods once. "Alright. Junction, come with me."

Junction sighs and steps away, subspacing his medscanner and exiting the curtain. The human doctor leans against one of the slabs and looks at me. "Where did you learn to speak English?" he asks offhand.

"Onboard the ship," I tell him quietly.

"The ship...?" he asks. "I see. Did Ultra Magnus teach you?"

I nod.

"Well, good... he provides a very pleasant experience, I hear. May I feel your other legs?"

I step forward warily, nodding slowly. "Yes..." I murmur. "Why do you need to touch them?"

"To make sure there are no old injuries there that may reoccur," he says, crouching and feeling my right front foreleg. Then he stands, runs his hands along my underbelly on the other side, and feels my rear leg. As he stands, he furrows his brow and crouches again.

"You have a botfly," he says, rubbing a bump on my belly.

"Yes...?" I respond. "The flies come around in the sunny season and lay their eggs upon us... sometimes they are not all caught during washing."

"Well, it's gotta come out," he says. "I'm going to go get a scalpel - I'll be right back."

He stands, stepping away from me, and he exits the curtain. I try and look around my shoulder and stomach to see the fly he speaks of, but it is too far and I cannot tell. I hear his voice in the main part of the medbay, speaking to Ultra Magnus.

"-has a massive botfly infestation," he says. "I am afraid if they are not removed then they will become infected."

"Well, do the procedure," Ultra Magnus speaks.

"I would... but her overall attitude to my medical procedures-"

His voice is cut off as the medbay door slides shut. I look around at my surroundings as the minutes drag on - the curtain is light blue, with little pink flowers PRINTED on it. There is one poster on the wall, but I cannot read the words, for they are very small. After ten or so more minutes, the medbay door slides open again, three sets of footsteps coming in - Ultra Magnus, Dr. Park, and another mech. The curtain is pushed aside and Dr. Park enters... and after him comes Fireside.

"Fireside!" I squeak, turning to face him, a grin splitting my face. "You are away from the engines!"

"Yes I am," he laughs, going to my side. "The good doctor tells me you have a fly on your tum."

"I guess..." I sigh. "They want to cut it out, I think."

"That's right," he says. "And I'm going to be here with you."

"Now, if you would lie down on the floor I will begin," Dr. Park drones, holding a tray of something shiny.

I look up at Fireside, and he nods. Looking down, I carefully fold my legs and lay down, making sure to not lie on Fireside's feet. He eases down and sits beside me, putting his hand out to me. I take his hand in mine, and the doctor nods.

"All the way, please," he says. "I need to be able to reach the underside of you."

I look up at Fireside and then at the doctor. "But then my body will be compromised," I protest. "My belly will be exposed."

"I'll protect you," Fireside rumbles, rubbing my hand. "Don't worry... you won't be harmed."

I cast my eyes worriedly up at him, and he meets mine with determination. I let my breath out, feeling small, and slowly slide down to lie flat, exposing my tender stomach to the human doctor. Fireside follows, pulling me in so that I can lie against his lap. The human kneels down, and something cold and wet touches my skin. My hand tightens on Fireside's, and my other somehow finds his arm, holding onto it as well.

"Shh..." he murmurs. "You're alright..."

Something pinches me, and I hide my face in his midsection. I can hear his spark beating, and his breathing whoosh in and out.

"That's it..." he rumbles, stroking my hand. "Just listen to me... focus on me, not what's happening..."

His other hand goes to my head and he draws small circles on the back of my neck while the doctor works. My stomach goes numb, and I almost forget he's there, until finally he pulls away, presses something to my skin, and TAPES it in place.

"There ya go..." he murmurs. "No worries... you may get up when you feel ready."

Fireside rumbles softly, and his hand pauses. "Raindance?" he murmurs. His words rumble in my ears. "Are you alright?"

I nod a little, blearily pulling away from him, and look down at my belly, now exposed and able to be seen. A white patch covers a good portion of the back half, and the tape is pulled up onto my rump and back tightly.

"Good," Fireside murmurs, rubbing my shoulder. "Do you feel up for standing?"

I nod quickly. Yes. I want to get up.

He helps me roll over, and my feet brace, shakily lifting me off of the floor. This scares me - my legs are strong, not shaky-

"The anesthetic will wear off soon," Dr. Park says. "Don't be frightened, your legs will feel wobbly for just a little."

"That wasn't so bad," Fireside smoothes, hand sliding down to take mine. He teases my eyes up to look at him, and he smiles.

"I'll send Junction in," Dr. Park says, pushing the curtain aside and stepping out.

"I thank you for being here," I murmur, pushing into Fireside's warmth.

"I wouldn't let you go into this alone," he responds, holding me close. "Junction will not be as invasive, he just wants to make sure your insides work."

I sigh. I am healthy, I do not need to be 'checked out'...

"Hello there," he greets, putting his hand out to me. "I apologize for the rushed welcome, Dr. Park has... places to be."

I shrug a little, pulling back from Fireside to take his hand.

"I am only going to scan you," he says. "It won't hurt - I have a device called a 'medscanner', and if I run it across your skin it will tell me what your insides are doing."

I am intrigued. Knowing basic medicine and healing herbs, this drew my attention. Could I take this 'medscanner' home and introduce it to my people?

From his subspace, Junction pulls out his device. It is metal and square, and fits neatly in his hand. Stepping forward, he passes it over my chest once, then pulls it back to look at.

"You look great," he tells me, smiling. "Completely healthy."

Grinning, I look up at Fireside, who grins back. "Hear that?" he giggles. "You're perfect."

I laugh and turn my attention back to Junction. "That is pleasing," I inform him. "Ultra Magnus said that there was a third mech to meet me?"

"Yes," he says. "But I must warn you in advance... even though he is very nice, and quite pleasant to be around... Warpath is special. He has a speech impediment that he picked up in the war which causes him to make sudden, loud noises. If he makes them in the middle of speaking to you I must ask that you ignore them."

"Okay..." I say slowly.

Fireside rubs my arm. "Don't worry," he says gently. "Warpath is an old teacher of mine, he is completely harmless. I'll be right here with you too, the entire time."

I look back at Junction. "Alright," I tell him. "I will meet this 'Warpath'."

He nods and steps out, exchanging places with a hulking crimson mech. Warpath bends to make it under the wire holding the curtain up, and he straightens before me. "You must be POW Raindance, yeah?"

I look up at him, and his sky-blue eyes look back at me, warm and happy and gentle. "Yes..." I murmur.

"Well, it is very BAM pleasant to meet you!" he chirps, looking around. "I think this area will do KAPOW fine for measurements!"

"Measurements?" I ask.

"For armor," Fireside murmurs. "You must be protected if you are to fight."

"I... I do not need anything!" I say indignantly looking up at him. "I am a warrior! I may have hunted deer with my people, but I have fought in wars!"

Warpath looks down at me and giggles. "A little BAM spitfire," he teases. "Hold still, this will only take a moment..."

He pulls out a device, similar to a medscanner, and after tapping a few of the controls he aims it at me. A blue light shines out of it, encompassing my entire body, and I put up a hand to shield myself. Finally the light ceases, and he looks down at the device.

"Alright," he says. "I am finished. KAPOW! I will have your armor sent to you at Bexley."

I sigh, and nod. "Okay," I murmur. The curtain is pushed aside, and Ultra Magnus steps in. "You are finished with the exams," he says. "We must leave. If we take off within the hour we should be able to make Bexley by nightfall."

Looking up at him, I sigh again. It is always go, go, go... does he ever take time to simply rest and reflect? Fireside reaches forward and takes my hand. "C'mon," he says. "I'll walk with you back to the ship."


	7. Chapter 7

After I gather my things, he leads me out from under the curtain, and back out through the main gates. Once we are in the forest, I breathe in the fresh air and thank my ancestors that the poking and prodding is completed.

"I see someone took you shopping," Fireside points out, gesturing to the small pouch of 'Shanix' in my hand. I look down at it.

"Oh... yes," I say, walking closer to him. "On the way here Ultra Magnus and I fought a shadowcat, and we sold it to a human here."

Fireside laughs. "Way to go!" he chirrups. "That is the way to make money."

We walk quietly, quickly, back to the ship. Above us, the sky is beginning to darken. Fireside leads me back to my room, where I tuck my Shanix into my deerskin.

"I will stay if you would like," Fireside murmurs. "While we are en route for Bexley."

"Okay," I respond eagerly. "Please..."

He smiles and sits beside my sleeping skins. Patting them, he looks up at me. I lie down on them, falling into my position in his arms, growing ever familiar. He rubs my shoulder, and sighs softly. Pressing into his warm chest, my eyes close. The ship rumbles around us and takes off. Rumbles...

I see Flowing Water in my mind, running, running... we had been hunting, and he was hot on the trail of an antelope. Bow drawn, he allowed his horse body to run freely, and his hooves pounded the ground heavily as he turned around a bush sharply...

I had followed him. My own bow was drawn, but as soon as I ran around the bush, Flowing Water shot the antelope down in a sliding halt. Looking up at me from the ground, he grins, covered in dust.

"Got it," he giggled, looking down at the antelope.

"Raindance..."

I wake suddenly, held in Fireside's arms. "We are landing," he murmurs. "You need to wake."

I stretch in his arms, and sigh. "Okay..."

The ship rumbles suddenly, and something above us creaks loudly. Fireside looks up sharply, pulling away. He stands, and steps out into the hall. The ship shakes violently, and a pipe ruptures above them. Water pours down onto Fireside's helm, and he puts a hand up to shield himself.

"Sweet Primus," he growls. "Raindance, get to the helm! You need to stay safe."

I skitter out, closing the door to my room. Fireside jogs down the hall, towards the engines, as the ship rocks violently. Go to the helm? No! I want to get out!

I run to the big doors, and rear up, striking out at it. The ship rolls over, and I am tossed against the wall. An alarm blares overhead, and the world turns into a blur. The guards enter the hall, putting their hands up, waving their arms, and I squeal, bugling and lashing out at the door. The ship thrashes about, and I feel it hit the ground. The doors are wrenched open on impact, and I leap out.

The ground throws me down as the ship continues to slide away from me, but as soon as I am back on my feet I take off running in the opposite direction. My hooves pound loudly, throwing up dirt and carrying me away from the crash. The ship lurches to a stop, and slowly goes dark.

Wherever we have landed, it is in the middle of a grassy plain, almost like my home. In the distance, I see a village, with lights here and there, and run towards it. Are they my people?

Nearing the village, I look closer. Are those... my people? I run into the village, looking around wildly. What I thought was one of my people... is an animal?

"THE CENTAUR!" someone cries. I look around, and all I see are humans. One of them approaches me with a rope, and as they start to swing it I race forwards, away. We had captured animals in this fashion; I am no animal!

Racing out of the village, I continue on into the grassland. I hear a familiar thunder behind me - hooves. Looking back, I see three people racing after me, on three animals I had seen moments before. One of the people is a Mecha, with harsh, glowing blue eyes. I laugh to myself. I am so much faster than these animals, they will not be able to keep up-

A rope settles around my frontal hips, and I look down at it, stunned. A rope? Around ME? A set of hooves race alongside of me, and I look over to see the mech rider sitting easily in the saddle, rope in his hands. I reach down, tugging on the rope, but he holds it tight. Another rope goes around me, and a human rider comes up on my other side. I slow, trying to pull the ropes up and off, but they have cinched tight around my midsection and will not let go. The mech rider slows and halts in an instant, as does the human rider.

I am brought to my knees, sliding heavily in the dirt and grasses. The tape and bandaging on my stomach is torn loose, and the area is very tender to the touch, scraping along the ground. Finally, I slide to a halt, chest breathing hard. The Mecha rider walks his animal closer, glaring down at me.

"Animal," he sneers, wrapping the rope around the POMMEL of his saddle. Turning, he starts to drag me towards the village.

"I am no animal!" I protest, kicking my feet, lashing out at his mount. The creature candidly steps aside, and I snarl softly.

I am dragged the entire way back to the village, where Ultra Magnus, the guards, and Freelance are waiting. I am brought to Ultra Magnus's feet, and he glares down at me.

"Raindance," he addresses me. "You fled the ship."

I nod wordlessly.

"This is exactly what these people do, Magnus," the mech grunts, sliding down from his animal. He tugs on the rope around my midsection, and it comes loose. Why couldn't I undo it?

"Our ship crashed," Ultra Magnus points out. "She has flown few number of times."

"You don't see grounded Mecha leaping out of crashing ships," the mech snaps. "She is an animal. What has happened to your ship?"

"The pressure was too great in the engines as we descended from elevation," Ultra Magnus says. "We have been having boiler and water supply issues, and I believe this to be the culmination of several months of patching and attempted repairs. Many of the hallways are flooded."

"Very well," the mech says. "Do you require quartering for the night?"

"I do," Ultra Magnus says. "As do my guards, medic, and pilots. Our mechanic is hard at work, and will remain onboard the ship at this time."

"I can provide housing for all of you," the mech says, "and stabling for your centaur femme."

"Stabling?" Ultra Magnus asks. "It is somewhat cool tonight..."

"She will be fine," the mech growls. "Her kind are meant to live outside."

"Mmm..."

In an instant, the mech has swung back onto his mount, and the human that roped me tugs lightly on the rope still around my middle. "Up," he says, and grumbling softly I stand up. Now, I notice that I am as tall as he is.

"This way, femme," the mounted mech growls, turning for a nearby building. I have no choice but to follow sullenly after the mounted human, and they both lead me into a long hall, with small branching rooms off of it.

"This one at the end of the row here is yours," the mech growls, pushing open a door. Inside, the floor is covered in straw, and... animal droppings?

The human pulls the rope off of me, and snaps a crop down upon my rump. Squealing, I jitter forwards into the room. Behind me, the door is shut firmly, and I turn awkwardly around in the small room.

"Stay here," the mech growls. "These are your new quarters."

He turns, leaving with the human. A large door is shut, and I am left in the dark. I hear voices outside, muffled and inarticulate. I reach out, touching the wall, then slowly lie down on the straw. I feel dirt and mud slide on my skin, my legs, and sigh. I am no animal...

Softly I shiver, and try to burrow under some of the straw. It is cold in this building, without my furs to keep me warm. My mind flits over to Fireside, then back to what Ultra Magnus said... our mechanic is hard at work, and will remain onboard the ship at this time...

I wonder when Fireside will be able to visit me next. If he is so busy...

Shivering, I batten down for the night, curl as much of the straw around me as I possibly can, and close my eyes. Time for sleep...

...

I wake when it is still dark, shivering violently. Everything is so cold, so very cold...

Trembling, I wrap my arms around my torso and quake. I wish Fireside was here... he is so warm, so warm all the time...

I don not sleep the rest of the night.

...

"Raindance! ...Raindance!"

I hear someone calling my name outside, and the big door is pushed open. "Raindance?" Freelance calls. "Are you in here?"

"Raindance..." I echo in a rasping voice. "Freelance... I am here..."

The door to my small room is thrown open in an instant, and Freelance kneels beside me. "Oh dear... Raindance..."

He pulls out a medscanner, running it over my chest. "Good grief," he murmurs. Reaching into his subspace, he pulls out a thick blanket, wrapping it around my shoulders and rubbing my arms harshly. Heat rushes along my limbs as he warms me, and I tremble, tears coming to my eyes.

"I told him you needed to be inside," he whispers. "But not in a stable..."

He opens a cube of energon, pressing it into my hands. "Drink, Raindance, drink," he instructs, throwing another blanket over my horse-back.

"Free-lance..." I whisper, shakily raising the cube to my lips. Struggling slightly, I swallow, and the food brings warmth to my insides. "Oh..."

"Once you have finished that, I will bring you to my own cabin," he murmurs. "You have no right to be treated as such an animal."

I drain the cube quickly, eager to be brought inside, and he helps me stand, leading me out of this tiny room and into the crisp, cold morning light. I wrap the blanket more closely around myself as he leads me down the road to another building, presumably his cabin. He ushers me inside, and my legs burn with the sudden heat that envelops me.

"Here, lay down by the fire," Freelance says, helping me to the hearth. The fire crackles merrily, warming me from the outside in. I lay down, swaddled in blankets, and sigh softly.

"-yes, I demand to speak with Steeltrap," Freelance growls. "He left Raindance in one of the horse stables, and I insist he answer for what he has done. I'm going to give him a piece of my mind..."

Freelance listens quietly, then vents. "Yes sir. Thank you."

He throws another blanket over me, and stokes the fire. After a few minutes, the door opens, and someone else steps inside. "Yes, Freelance?" It is the mech who roped me last night.

"You left Raindance in a barn!" Freelance snaps. "You were to give her proper boarding, furs, food, and fire! But no. I went out to visit her this morning, and I found her in a barn. You lied."

"She is an animal," the mech growls. "She-"

Freelance stalks over to me, and pulls me up by my shoulder. "Raindance, talk to me."

"Freelance, what..." I whisper, looking up at him. "What do you need from me?"

He looks to the mech. "She talks like us," he snaps. "Is it that hard to understand?"

The mech looks down at me, then sighs. "Alright," he rumbles. "You are right..."

Freelance nods with finality, then helps me lie back down, bundling me in with the blankets. "Now, get out," Freelance growls. "I don't want to see you."

The door opens, and the mech exits. I look up at Freelance, who is watching him leave.

"Who is he?" I ask softly.

"That is Steeltrap," he murmurs, touching my head gently. "He will be... your instructor."

My eyes widen. "Instructor...?"

"He is a good teacher," Freelance murmurs. "But now... you rest, you need it."

I nod a little, curling into the blankets. It feels good to finally be warm again...


	8. Chapter 8

I wake next to the fire, listening to the quiet writing of Freelance as he studies. Sitting up, I stretch and yawn softly.

"Freelance?" I mumble. "Where is Fireside?"

"He is onboard the ship," Freelance says, looking over at me. "Why? Would you... like to take him lunch?"

I perk up, nodding enthusiastically. "Yeah! I can do that!"

He laughs, grinning. "Alright. I'll fetch you a few cubes."

Standing up, he goes to his bedding and pulls out a box, opening it. Taking out four cubes, he gives them to me.

"There," he says. "Now you can share with him - he's on the ship, in the engine room."

"Okay!" I chirp, stretching again. I move the blankets away from the hearth, and go to the door.

"If there is a shortage of housing, you will stay the night with me," Freelance says behind me. "Is that okay?"

"Yes," I tell him, looking back. "Someplace warm to sleep..."

He smiles, and turns back to his work. I step outside, looking up at the sun. It is overhead, shining down warmly upon my back - it is much nicer than yesterday. Something dribbles onto the ground, and I look down, spotting the dried dirt on my legs and stomach; I feel dirty.

Holding the cubes close, I jog towards the ship, out in the middle of the field. I run up the ramp, and pause. The corridor is flooded, water dripping down the ramp, and my dirty hooves cloud the water. Sludging through the flood, I hear a banging coming from the engine room. I come to the engine room, and peek inside. Fireside is hard at work, a wrench in one hand. He is soaking wet, and currently is working on some portion of the engine. Water drizzles out of tubing from the ceiling.

"Fireside...?" I ask hopefully.

He pauses, and turns around. "Raindance?"

I grin, looking up at him. "Hi!"

"Hi yourself," he teases softly, sloshing over to me. "What have you there?"

"Lunch," I grin, holding out the cubes. He takes one, pops the top open, and gulps it down. "Mmm..."

I watch him, and when he finishes the cube he looks down at me, eyes a little brighter in their light. An energon mustache lines his lips.

"You, uh, have a bit... right here..." I tease, touching my mouth. His eyes widen, and he wipes his mouth.

"Whoopsie," he laughs. "Well... c'mon, Raindance, let's sit outside. I've worked a long time on this ship, I could use a break."

Stepping aside so he can pass me, I watch him walk down the hall, to the ramp. After a few moments, I follow eagerly. Once, outside, he sits down heavily, and accepts another cube. I open a cube and lie down next to him. After finishing his second cube, Fireside leans gently against me. I drink slowly, looking back as he slumps against me. His eyes are closed and he breathes softly, as if he is asleep.

"Fireside," I murmur. "Fireside... wake up, you can come stay with Freelance..."

A set of hooves echo from the village, and I look up as 'Steeltrap' rides up on his animal.

"Femme," he says, looking down at me. "Your training is to begin today."

Fireside moans softly, and sits up. "Raindance...?" he mumbles. "Good grief, I fell aslee- oh. Who are you?"

"I am this femme's teacher," Steeltrap snaps. "Who are you?"

"Fireside," my friend rumbles softly, looking up at him. "And she has a name."

Steeltrap's eyes narrow, and he brings his animal closer. "Let us leave," he snaps, looking down at me.

Fireside rubs my arm. "It's alright, Raindance... thank you for the lovely lunch. I needed a break."

I look over at him and manage a smile before rising to my feet, following Steeltrap on his animal.

"What is the animal you ride on?" I ask him, looking down at it's hooves and tail.

"A horse," Steeltrap grunts.

A... horse? My goodness, horses are different where I come from...

"Oh," I murmur. "It looks strong."

"The only strong thing here is me," Steeltrap snaps. "And second, this animal's willpower. You are soft, and must be trained."

I stare at him. "I... I do not think that I am soft! I come from the Neytek, a tribe of-"

"Yes-yes, you are the Alaban princess," Steeltrap sneers. "I have been briefed in your background."

"Then show me some courtesy," I growl.

He looks over at me, eyes narrowing. "You haven't earned any courtesy from me."

Putting his heels to his horse, he runs ahead of me. I watch him, judging his horse's speed. He is running way to slow to be of any challenge to me...

Leaping forward, my hooves dig into the ground and I fly forwards, chasing after him. He races through the village, and I gladly follow him onwards, out, out into the plains. At the very edge of the horizon I can see trees, and the farther he runs the closer they get. As we near the trees, Steeltrap slows and stops, then slides down from his mount. I run up to him, sliding to a halt, and watch what he is doing.

"If you are to train you need training items," he begins, looking in and amongst the trees. "Yes, this will do nicely..."

Reaching into his subspace, he pulls out a hatchet, hacking two limbs off a nearby tree. Soon they are without bark, and roughly the same circumference all the way around.

"These are made from a strong tree, and will not cover your hands in sap," he says, holding one out to me. "We will use these staves as weapons during your training."

Holding this staff, little more than a stick, I chuckle softly. "Sticks?" I ask. "Where I live we have spears and knives, not sticks."

"Well then," he says, reaching out and taking the staff back. "Is this too... easy? Too easy for the little warrior princess?"

I growl in my chest, watching as he binds the staves to the side of his riding equipment. "It's too easy... alright, warrior princess, let's do something else. Let's do a little... riding checkoff."

He swings onto his horse, turning for the village at a gentle canter. "Come along."

I sigh and follow after him, keeping up easily. As we enter the village, he leads me to a fenced-in section of ground, covered in sand. "We will begin our training here," he says, sliding off his horse. "Come with me to the warehouse, and I will tack you up."

Tack me up? What is that?

"Tack?" I ask. "What is that?"

"You'll find out. Don't ask so many questions, too soon your mind will be cluttered with useless things."

He walks swiftly over to a building nearby, opening a door large enough for him to fit through. I join him, peeking in. As soon as I look inside, he emerges, holding a blanket and a piece of leather apparatus. He sets the leather bundle down, and throws the blanket over my back.

"Hold still," he grunts. I watch as he arranges the blanket, then picks up the leather bundle. This he also throws over my back. And it's heavy.

"Hey!" I squeak, looking back. "What are you doing? I am not-"

"You said the staves were too easy," he says. "If they are too easy, you already know what I am going to teach you. If you think you already know what I am going to teach you, I need to teach you something else. Now, hold still."

He ducks down, hands feeling around against my underbelly. Something is pulled around, and the leather piece on my back grows tighter around my middle. A second tie is put in place nearer my rump, then he puts one around between my front legs. Standing, he threads a leather strap around my woman-chest, tightening it.

"Come along, warrior princess," he says, tugging on the strap. Looking down at it, I follow him into the sandy area.

He closes me in, then climbs up on the side of the wooden fence.

"What are you-" I ask, stopping as he slides onto my back. His legs dangle over my sides, then his feet are firmly placed into straps. "What... what..."

His heels tap my sides and I squeal, bucking sharply. Steeltrap whoops and taps my sides again as I come back onto the ground. The strap around my middle tightens as he holds onto it with one hand. His other hand waves around in the air as I twist and turn, trying to throw him off.

"Geeeeet OOOOOOOOOFF!" I squeal, rearing sharply. He does not fall off, but merely taps my sides again. This feeling is so foreign, so alien-

"I dare you to knock me free," Steeltrap growls in my ear. "You are no match for m-"

I throw myself down onto the ground, rolling around on my back. When I come up, covered in sand, Steeltrap is no longer on my back. Turning around, I look down to where he lies in the sand and dance to the farthest edge of the pen. Steeltrap groans as he pushes himself up, arms shaky, and he stands.

"Wise-acre," he growls. "Get back here and face me like a proper Mecha."

"No," I bite, staying just out of reach as he lunges for me. "I do not wish to be treated like this."

Growling, he leaps onto the fence and then onto my back, putting his feet back into the straps. Yelping, I buck and race for the middle of the pen, leaping high into the air. I turn for the fence again, slamming him into one side, then running over and shoving him into the other. I buck again and he is upended, crashing down into the sand.

"Eurgh..." he grumbles, pushing himself upright. "You have a temper, femme."

"I am not meant to be ridden," I snarl back, crossing my arms.

"You must be."

Picking himself up, he climbs onto my back before I could stop him... and so the cycle begins again, with me bucking and him clinging on. When I finally dislodge him for a third time, we are both panting and shaking. Somehow, he drags himself up from the ground approaching me slowly. My legs tremble with exertion - how did he still have the strength to rise?

"I have broken cattle animals harder than you," he grunts, placing the straps around his feet again. "Now... walk."

His heels tap my sides, and I sigh softly. Too tired to continue to fight, I give into his degrading instructions, and take a few steps forward.

"See?" he murmurs, rubbing my horse-shoulder. "It's not as bad as ya think."

I sigh and look away, feeling hot tears come to my eyes. I am not an animal... to be used...

He walks me around the enclosure, something I learn is called a 'corral', teaching me this command and that, using his feet and to give them. When we are finally through, nearing evening, he removes the leather strapping from my body and lets me go. I drag myself to Freelance's cabin, crawling inside to lie tiredly by the fire. Before I am even settled, I fall asleep.

...

I dream vividly of home that night. Racing through the savannah grass, chasing herds of antelope with my bow... everything feels so right. Even Flowing Water is racing alongside me, bearing a spear. All too soon, though, I wake, as someone rubs my shoulder. Looking blearily up, I blink up at Freelance, who gives me a kind smile.

"It is time to wake," he murmurs, pressing a bowl of soup into my hands. "I went and begged a bowl of soup off of the locals for you... they tell me it has meat in it."

I look down at the soup, swirling innocently around and around in the bowl, and feel my eyes tear up again.

"Freelance," I whisper, holding the bowl close. "I feel so alone..."

"Oh dear... no, no..." he murmurs, embracing me. "You are never alone, Raindance... never..."

I hiccup softly, pressing into him. After a few moments I lift the bowl to my lips, and savory flavors fills into my mouth.

"Do you want to go see Magnus?" Freelance asks, rubbing my shoulder. "I'm sure he would love to see you."

"Okay," I whisper, still pressed tight against him.

"Alright then," he says kindly. "Eat your soup, and I will guide you to his cabin."

He pulls away, standing, and I am left with the soup bowl, a wooden spoon in it. I take a bite, and indeed there is meat in it, nice, thick, red meat...

I devour the bowl of soup - the workout from yesterday definitely gave me an appetite. Once I finish, Freelance takes my bowl and sets it on his desk. "Come along," he instructs, standing and holding a hand out to me. Taking it, I stand and follow him outside.

The morning is cool and crisp, with little beads of dew on the grass growing alongside the cabin. Freelance leads me down the main road, to a large cabin near the outskirts of the village. He knocks on the door.

"Don't forget, Raindance, Ultra Magnus is to be addressed with a 'sir', since he is your commanding officer," Freelance tells me. "Like, 'Yes Sir,' and 'No, Sir'... Magnus, Raindance is here to visit."

Watchman opens the door, regarding us both quietly, and he steps aside as Ultra Magnus comes to the door, smiling a little as he sees me. "Come in," he says, and Watchman steps back to let me in.

I walk inside, and am instantly warmed - this cabin is extremely warm, soft rugs and blankets everywhere. There is a table next to the fireplace, covered in Ultra Magnus's work.

"So, I hear that Steeltrap worked you hard yesterday," Ultra Magnus says, easing down in the big armchair that had resided in the ship.

"He did... Sir," I murmur, lying down in front of him. Looking up at him, I slowly offer my wrist to him.

"Okay," he says softly, voice understanding. "You do not need to refer to me as 'sir' in private company."

Taking my wrist, he rubs it gently and touches his own to mine.

Crying. Screaming. Extreme pain flares out from my chest, and a vision flashes before my eyes. Looking up at a strange, red-eyed face, my chest pants, and the world blurs. I feel a kick in my insides, just a gentle tap, and then Ultra Magnus's mind pushes through the emotions, filling my mind.

"I apologize," he murmurs. "The... incidents of my past fill my mind often."

"What was that?" I whisper. "The... my insides... is there something wrong with me? I felt something... move."

"No," he says, chuckling softly. "No, no... Raindance, open your eyes. Look at me."

Blinking up at him, he smiles back. Taking my free hand, he touches it to his stomach gently, and I now notice that it is bare skin my hand is in contact with. Under my hand, little taps push against my palm. My eyes widen and I look up at him again.

"I'm carrying," he whispers. "There's a little someone in there, Raindance..."

His own voice is filled with wonder, and he rubs my hand gently.

"But... but... you are not female," I speak, looking up at him.

"You do not have to be a femme to carry offspring," he murmurs. "Your people simply abide by that rule."

Looking back at his belly, I slowly lean forward and press my ear to him. I hear pulsing inside, a big deep thumping and a light, faster paced hum. He disconnects from my wrist, putting his arms around me lightly.

"That is amazing... Sir," I squeak, suddenly pushed into his chest. "Have you picked a name?"

He sighs. "No... not yet. I am praying that it will just make it to term."

I look up him. "I will pray too," I tell him.

Ultra Magnus smiles warmly, and sighs. "Thank you," he whispers.

There is a rough knock on the door. "Magnus?" the distinct voice of Steeltrap grouses. "Magnus, I need to talk to you."

I look up at Ultra Magnus, and slowly shake my head, pleading silently for him to make Steeltrap go away. "He is so... so..." I whisper, hiding against him.

Ultra Magnus rubs my shoulder, then looks up at Watchman. Sighing, softly, he pulls back. "You must be trained," he says resolutely. "I'm afraid Steeltrap must come in. Open the door, Watchman."

Ultra Magnus pulls a blanket over his lap, looking up at Steeltrap as he enters. "Steeltrap," he says. "I apologize for taking your student's time, but I do enjoy speaking with Raindance."

"Of course, Magnus..." Steeltrap says, looking him up and down sadly. "Anything you want... do you want to visit longer? I can return-"

"That will be alright," Ultra Magnus rumbles, rubbing my shoulder. "Raindance needs to be worked with. Return when it's dark, Steeltrap, and we'll share a cup of tea."

Steeltrap nods, and looks to me. "Come," he instructs, gruff demeanor returning. "We have work to do."

I stand slowly, stretch, and then look at Ultra Magnus. "Thank you," I murmur, and he smiles gently.

Steeltrap steps out of the cabin, and I follow. He leads me to the warehouse, and brings out the riding equipment again.


	9. Chapter 9

"I'm carrying," he whispers. "There's a little someone in there, Raindance..."

His own voice is filled with wonder, and he rubs my hand gently.

"But... but... you are not female," I speak, looking up at him.

"You do not have to be a femme to carry offspring," he murmurs. "Your people simply abide by that rule."

Looking back at his belly, I slowly lean forward and press my ear to him. I hear pulsing inside, a big deep thumping and a light, faster paced hum. He disconnects from my wrist, putting his arms around me lightly.

"That is amazing... Sir," I squeak, suddenly pushed into his chest. "Have you picked a name?"

He sighs. "No... not yet. I am praying that it will just make it to term."

I look up him. "I will pray too," I tell him.

Ultra Magnus smiles warmly, and sighs. "Thank you," he whispers.

There is a rough knock on the door. "Magnus?" the distinct voice of Steeltrap grouses. "Magnus, I need to talk to you."

I look up at Ultra Magnus, and slowly shake my head, pleading silently for him to make Steeltrap go away. "He is so... so..." I whisper, hiding against him.

Ultra Magnus rubs my shoulder, then looks up at Watchman. Sighing, softly, he pulls back. "You must be trained," he says resolutely. "I'm afraid Steeltrap must come in. Open the door, Watchman."

Ultra Magnus pulls a blanket over his lap, looking up at Steeltrap as he enters. "Steeltrap," he says. "I apologize for taking your student's time, but I do enjoy speaking with Raindance."

"Of course, Magnus..." Steeltrap says, looking him up and down sadly. "Anything you want... do you want to visit longer? I can return-"

"That will be alright," Ultra Magnus rumbles, rubbing my shoulder. "Raindance needs to be worked with. Return when it's dark, Steeltrap, and we'll share a cup of tea."

Steeltrap nods, and looks to me. "Come," he instructs, gruff demeanor returning. "We have work to do."

I stand slowly, stretch, and then look at Ultra Magnus. "Thank you," I murmur, and he smiles gently.

Steeltrap steps out of the cabin, and I follow. He leads me to the warehouse, and brings out the riding equipment again.

"This is a saddle pad," he says, holding up the blanket before putting it on my back. "It aides in preventing saddle sores and gives general padding to your back. The saddle is the thing the rider sits on, which is made out of leather."

He lifts the heavy leather contraption, setting it down on top of the pad. "These straps and things keep it attached to you and prevent it from slipping around."

He fastens the straps, under my belly and around my horse chest. Next, he puts the strap around my upright chest.

"This is for me to hold onto, so you can't buck me off," he grumbles. "And so I can guide your turning."

I sigh, slowly deflating. He fusses with straps a little while longer, then pulls himself into the saddle. My legs feel sore from yesterday, and I shift under his weight.

"It'll be alright," he says, patting my horse-shoulder. "We won't start out too heavy today."

I grunt, and he guides me into the corral. Shutting the gate, he puts a hand on the strap around my chest. "We will just start with a warmup," he says, tapping my sides with his feet. "Try and remember the commands, I prefer to only use my body to give them - not my voice."

I think back to yesterday. Commands, commands...

"I do not remember," I whisper.

"That's fine," he says. "For now, I will use my voice as well. Now, walk."

His feet tap my sides again, and I start forwards, walking tiredly around the corral. As I walk, his weight becomes more familiar to my back, and I look back at him. Steeltrap nods to me, releasing the strap from around my chest. He taps my sides twice, now. "Trot," he instructs.

Squeaking, I stumble in the sand and then pick up the pace. I never like trotting... it is so rough, and disjointed...

"You have an excellent gait," Steeltrap grunts, shifting in the saddle. "I did not tell you yesterday."

"Oh... thank you," I murmur. "I had not noticed."

His legs squeeze my sides, and I grunt. "Canter," he barks.

Canter... what is canter...? Oh yes, run. My legs carry me swiftly now, and they move with more ease than when we had started. Around and around, in this big circle, until I forget what I am doing, why I am doing it.

"Are you feeling more limbered up?" he asks. "What is your weapon of choice?"

"I feel better," I admit. "I prefer a bow."

"An archer?" he laughs. "I had not imagined."

"Most of my people are," I tell him. "Why?"

"I am purely curious."

At this he falls silent, and I continue to run. Eventually, my breathing becomes more labored, whistling softly. Steeltrap tugs lightly on the chest strap. "Walk, now."

I fall into the slower pace, stretching back and rasping softly. I walk around the corral a few more times before Steeltrap guides me to the gate. "Time to move on."

He pulls the gate open, and I sidestep to avoid hitting it. "Exit," he barks. I dance outside, around the gate. He takes ahold of it, and shuts it firmly. With his legs and a light tug on the strap, he guides me towards the warehouse.

I walk eagerly, hoping that he will remove the riding equipment, but he does not - instead he dismounts, and walks inside. When he returns, he holds more leather strapping and bags in his arms. He holds one long, wrapped package more carefully than the bags, and he ties it on last.

"This long thing is your bow. The mechanic tells me he wrapped it 'just special' for you."

Fireside. He wrapped it just for me...

Steeltrap throws one set of bags over my rump and one over my horse-shoulders, fastening them to the saddle strapping. Significantly extra weight is added with them, almost as much as his own body's heaviness.

"Steeltrap-"

"Do not refer to me by name," Steeltrap snaps. "I am 'teacher' to you, nothing else."

I blink a couple of times. "...teacher, what are these for? Do you mean to ride with these... and yourself?"

"No," he says. "I will be guiding you on a little outing. I will tack up my own horse, and we will depart. Remain here."

He turns for the warehouse, entering the door. Once inside, he is absent for a few minutes before he returns, leading his horse out. "Raindance, come on. It is high time we departed."

"De... Departed? But what about Fireside? And Ultra Magnus? I can't just leave without a farewell!"

"They know you are leaving," Steeltrap grunts, turning his horse around to face the open field. "Come."

I take one last glance at the settlement, eyes landing on Ultra Magnus's cabin.

"Goodness, you're going to see them soon. Let's go. One of the bags you are carrying contains your living items from your quarters aboard the ship."

Reluctantly, I follow. Steeltrap leads me on his horse through the field and up into the trees at a light pace. Once we hit the heavily wooded areas, he slows down to a walk, horse picking a path through the undergrowth carefully.

There are so many vines and crawling plants on the ground compared to my home, and watching where my hooves are going takes as much effort as keeping up with Steeltrap. The loud noises of forest birds remind me of home.

I often went hunting with Flowing Water and our childhood friends, which was the majority of my activity. The rest of my time was spent with Father and with our future-teller, who was helping to teach me the duties I would perform as mate of the Neytek leader. That work was nothing compared to what Steeltrap has done now- at home, if we became tired, we rested. Steeltrap pushes through fatigue into a new level of exhaustion, and it is miserable. The bags on my saddle become heavier with every passing step the farther we go on.

When the sun's light begins to dim, my very body is aching. "Teacher," I call weakly. "When are we going to rest?"

"Soon," he shouts back. "We are nearly to our camping location."

How can his horse go on without complaint? Even animals have ways of talking...

Only when it is truly twilight do we stop; Steeltrap leads me into a small clearing, dismounting his horse. He ties his horse to a nearby tree and approaches me, putting his hands on the saddlebags weighing heavily on my back.

"Easy now..." he murmurs, unfastening the leather strapping and pulling the bags of. "Go take a short walk and cool down. I will get you food."

"Okay..." I whisper, shaking legs carrying my worn body into the trees.

Now without the bags on my back it is easier to walk, but my entire body feels sore and pained. These trees have thick, cracked bark and fluttering leaves that dance around me as I walk. Dead leaves swirl around my hooves the slower I walk, and I force myself to turn back to our campsite.

Steeltrap is resting against a tree trunk when I return, drinking from a cube of energon.

"Yours is over there," he grunts, looking towards a tree on my left.

Two containers of energon are stacked up next to the trunk, waiting for me to eat them. I lie down heavily, muscles protesting, and pick up a cube. Awkwardly opening it, I lick the too and then hungrily down the whole thing in three huge swallows.

"Don't drink too fast," Steeltrap mutters. "You'll get sick."

Too hungry to care, I reach for the second cube. As I open it, my stomach turns sourly and bile rises in my throat. Coughing, the energon rushes up my throat and out, spilling onto the ground.

"Told you..." Steeltrap mutters.

"What is this?" I groan, feeling my stomach clench and tighten in sickness.

"You ate too quickly," Steeltrap grouses. "And then wasted all of that fuel."

"But my body-"

" 'Your body' does not know what to do," Steeltrap barks. "That's why Magnus told me I have to teach you. You don't know how to live in this world outside of your little wild tribe."

Scorn colors his voice and his lip curls to bare his denta. Growling at him, I strain and stand up, muscles screaming in protest.

"You dare bare teeth at me," I snarl, stalking over and picking up the long package from my saddlebags.

Unwrapping it, I pull out my bow and quiver, slinging the quiver over my shoulder and grabbing an arrow. Stringing my bow in one motion, I draw the arrow fully, bowstring nestled against my cheek as I glare down at Steeltrap.

"What are you going to do, femme?" Steeltrap asks. "Gonna shoot me? You think Ultra Magnus is going to take you on as an Ambassador with a murder on your official record?"

"Never have I asked to be this 'Ambassador'," I growl, stepping closer. "I never wanted to leave home."

"Then go," Steeltrap snaps. "If you don't want to be here, you don't want to be taught. Go home."

This... was all so sudden. I... could go home?

"I... will," I tell him hesitantly, reaching for the saddlebags still on the ground awkwardly.

Picking them up, I search through the bags until I find the one with my things in it.

"Keep the rest," Steeltrap grunts as I open the other bags to empty them.

Staring blankly at him, I throw them over my horse-back and turn away from the makeshift campsite, hesitating as the long path stretches before me. At home, travel during night was not encouraged because of the golden hunter-cats and the laughing dogs roaming the plains.

"Well? What are you waitin' on?" Steeltrap asks, and I glance back at him.

"Travel... nothing. I am leaving."

Taking the saddlebags, I awkwardly strap them around the union between my upright body and horse body before taking the first step onto the makeshift trail.


End file.
